Managing the Marauders
by SuperDork1346
Summary: There are flashes that we see of who our heroes used to be, what led to the way things ended. But what if the story didn't go the way we were told? What if the story was the warped version of the people who had a voice? This is what really happened. To the Marauders...and to the wizarding world. (Rated T for swearing) (Weekly updates)
1. The Moments that Make Us

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

 **AN: Hello everyone! Though this is my first Harry Potter fanfic, if you've seen my profile you'll note that it's by no means my first in general. I hope you enjoy and I'm excited to hear your comments, constructive criticisms and to see your favorites and follows!**

* * *

 **If someone didn't know any better, they might think there were fairies in the woods that** **day**. Maybe water pixies if the splashing and wild laughter had anything to say about it, the sounds coming from all directions like you were right there but the trees were too tall and you were too blind. But if you could see and you knew better, you would have walked through the trees to find the easy river that trickled through the land. And in it were two young girls who resembled pixies.

"Lily Evans if you try and dunk me one more time..!" Petunia screeched like a threatened squirrel and launched herself away from her sister who was in the process of trying to kill them both. Instead of dragging Petunia down with her, Lily instead flopped onto the water and sank where her victim was supposed to be.

The red head came up laughing hysterically before coughing up some of the water she swallowed on the way down. She was dragged out of the water while Petunia looked her over worriedly. "I'm fine, I swear. Can we go back in the water?" Her coughing had subsided but it had ruined the moment with her sister who stormed off claiming she was going to get hypothermia. "Fine, I'll just play by myself." She huffed as she waded back into the warm water, trying to mask her pout over being left by herself.

"You could catch a fish with that lip." It was a half minded joke that came out from behind a tree as her magic friend followed. "You should put that back where it came from, I'm here now so you have much better company."

Lily flicked water at him and turned her back to hide the smile that escaped from behind her walls. She was only nine, they weren't very good yet. "My lip is just fine thank you very much. At least mine are good for something, _yours_ just spit out bottom." She squealed as she felt something cold run up her back turning around to see Severus working on a spell with the water. "Oh you little." She went under to swim over to him, hands on her hips as she left the water and promptly shook all over him.

If you walked by the trees that guarded the clearing, you would think there was faeries dancing on their branches.

* * *

 **There wasn't a day that went by in the Potter house that something wasn't happening.** A trick here, a misplaced spell there. The only child of Euphemia and Fleamont Potter was quite the troublemaker, practicing spells in the house that ended badly without a wand to direct his magic in the way he intended and playing magical tricks on the staff and his parents. As he grew older, the pranks were less frequent but bigger. Instead of small things everyday like itching powder in the dishcloths or popfires dropped from the ceiling, he had started leaving levitation zones which would leave his victims floating for around a minute until it wore off or they would suddenly find themselves stuck in place.

His parents had hoped that their son would make friends and his pranks would stop. And then he met Sirius Black. The ten year olds arrival that night should explain everything. "Ah bollocks mate, why do you have to be on the third floor?" James groaned as he ignored his friend's failure to climb through the window, not even opening his eyes when he landed on the floor.

"Get bored of the front door?" It was a joke but he was seriously concerned when Sirius didn't say anything. With no witty response to quell his nerves, he groaned again as he rolled over and waved his hand to light up the room. When the orb finally turned on, he froze as he took in the sight of his friend. Dark waves were spread out over the floor only broken by the mud that clung to his locks. Or was that blood? From what he could see of the boys face, it was all sorts of cold colors and made his stomach churn. "Sirius?!" He tried to slip out of bed, his feet tangled in the blankets still as he crashed next to the body on the floor. "Come on, show me you're alive."

It took three hours for them to feel safe about Sirius' condition and all the healing salve James could find without alerting anyone. "Just like the first time we met, you the bloody prick and me the beat up whiny kid."

"I was the prick who heard you getting beat up in an alleyway by your cousins and threw a hex. I scared 'um off, didn't I?" Proud eyes were hidden behind dark hair that hung from his head but there was worry seeping through his carefully placed smugness. "Does that mean your family did this to you?"

Sirius didn't have to answer, not to any of the Potters.

* * *

 **It was not an unusual sight to see the quick steps of a rushing mother who's babysitter cancelled last minute and needed to finish some errands while quite literally dragging their child along with them.** No, not for Bristol. It's many shops held the perfect distraction for Hope to lose herself in and have her boy pay the price. As time went on and he felt like his feet were going to fall off because his mother had to go an _hour_ away so no one would recognize them, he suddenly felt his shoulder hit something and his sore feet gave out on him.

"I am so sorry, I didn't think I was big enough to knock over anyone and I was just trying to rush through." He only caught a glimpse of the girl and her apologetic smile when she got up and ran off, his mother pulling him up just as some older kids walked by.

Hope checked him over a hundred times, a little nervous in a busy street like this that he had gotten injured. It was silly and they both knew it, but not only was he her only child, he was attacked by a werewolf in his sleep. She was more protective of him then ever. "That girl should really have looked where she was going I mean honestly, what could she be running from out here? It's not like there's things flying around here." She pushed them both off and brought him into the cool breeze of some shop with plates in the window.

When he was finally left to his own devices and allowed to hang out at the small bookstore, he took a deep calming breath as he curled up with a book to read while he waited for his mother. He was almost completely zoned out when he heard a thud from behind one of the bookshelves. Upon investigation, he found the girl that had crashed into him before reaching high as she could go to get her book back from the older boys surrounding her.

"Little book nerd, what'cha gonna do? Call your siblings for help? Call for Mommy and Daddy?" When they saw Remus come around the corner with a glare, they pulled back their teeth like that was supposed to scare him.

"Boys, put those things away. No one wants to see them." She had her hands on her nonexistent hips, tilting her head as she looked at their surprised faces. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought you knew higene was important to other people. I thought wrong apparently. Now I would greatly appreciate you giving me my book back as I intend to buy it from the lovely woman at the desk." When she realized they had become statues, she rolled her eyes and jumped up to catch the book that had fallen within her reach. "Have a nice day boys, please try not to break anything." A strong grip fell on his arm as she dragged a shocked senseless Remus in the owners line of sight. "I'm Venus and yes, I know it sounds like I've been named after a planet."

"I'm Remus Lupin and I'm aware that that sounds ridiculous." When she laughed, her eyes turned into the sky outside his window at night. She fixed up her hair with fingers not meant for such intricate and delicate work, but somehow managing to do it anyway. He snapped himself out of his jarred state and stuck out his hand to shake.

Venus upon seeing it swept out her skirt and bowed to kiss it. "May I escort you to your awaiting guard?" She blushed darkly as she might have realized how strange she seemed but Remus just offered her his arm, as he dealt wit the strange daily and she seemed like more fun than anything he'd ever encountered before. They paid for their books and walked out of the store on their toes, joking about how cool it would be to fly. "I mean, only if no one else could fly. But if you didn't like something, you could just be like, "bye!" and levitate away."

A sound like an annoyed hog escaped his nose which was quickly covered by him challenging her. "I don't think that's how that works." He blushed when she informed him that he should see a doctor because it seemed his nose didn't work either. "You're so mean."

"You're the one who became friends with me! You didn't have to accept my over." She wiggled her eyebrows for no reason just to get him to laugh, waving when she saw his mother. "That's your mum, right? Let's go shopping with her! My brothers are around here somewhere and I'd love to get kidnapped before they find me."

Remus rolled his eyes but grabbed her hand and skipped with her over to his poor mother. Could faces really contort that way? He shook his head and focused on introducing the two ladies. He hadn't been this nervous since he'd opened the officially stamped letter dropped off at his house three months ago.

* * *

 **People made way for the witch who walked with her head held high in the crowd and glared at anyone who dared try and get in her way.** "You have all your books, we've gotten your wand. A good sturdy wand that will do you well, though don't go meddling with all that darkness at school. I have to go pick up a few more things if you want to go to to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. It's just started up and the shop owner seems very friendly. He'll look after you." She directed the small boy behind her over to where she would leave him, bringing her protective shadow with her.

Peter was used to getting left alone when his mother went off to do something he wasn't allowed to know about, though usually it involved presents or something for his father. Once, he'd seen an inky cat curled up on the back of her hand. His curiosity was promptly squashed.

"Why would anyone ever come to a shop like this to sit alone?" Someone plopped down into the seat across from him with a smile and he was suddenly very conscious of the way he looked. Did they think he was a lost child? A toddler type that was going to cry without his mother? "I mean, I get wanting to get away from people but this…" They stole a cherry from his ice cream. "...this is just disappointing. And since I'm the family disappointment, it seems I have a duty to drag you down with me."

"Lay off the poor kid, 'dite. We get that you have an overbearing personality but you don't need to smother people. Have you even asked him his name yet?" This boy was much older and Peter immediately was glad for his presence.

"Stop it with the nicknames Eros, we get that you're a Ravenclaw and are witty. It's literally in your house description?" The person, _god why is it so hard to tell anything about them?_ , snarked before turning back to Peter. "My name is Aphrodite but you can call me anything you want if it isn't degrogitory. That idiot is my older brother Eros. And you were just about to tell me your name."

"I was?" It came out as a squeak, his cheeks pulling all of the embarrassment that they could from his soul. There was some part of him that wondered what it would be like to feel so confident, he could see it like scales of armor across their skin and he was almost completely defenseless. Maybe they could show him out to make his own armor. "I was. My names Peter Pettigrew, it's nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand to shake and gave them both weak smiles when they easily took it. "Um...why are you sitting with me?"

Aphrodite threw the back of her hand to her forehead and leaned back in her chair like she was going to start singing and reciting Shakespeare. "Oh, why does anyone do anything?" Her brother shoved her almost off her chair. "Because you looked like another terrified first year trying to figure out what they're doing. I have a lot of siblings so I kind of have that mentor instinct when it comes to people. Plus you were alone and looked like you could use a friend." She grinned like it was the most obvious thing in the world, but the way she said it didn't make him feel stupid. It was like she was sharing a secret with him. "Was I right though? About you being a first year?"

Peter nodded and took a bite of his ice cream for the first time since he stepped foot in the shop. Well, he took a bite of his cream with chunks. "My mom has been taking me shopping. Dad tried to get me binders and notebooks but she made it clear this was nothing like muggle school. So I don't know what to expect."

"You're a halfblood! That's so cool, we are too!" The girl excitedly went on to explain some of the more looked over parts of the school with her brother chiming in every now and then. Peter found out that she had four siblings, she was a twin, with Eros being the oldest going into third year and a younger sister the year below them. "We need to get going, but it was nice to meet you Peter! Find us on the Platform tomorrow, we'll show you around and you can ride in the boats with me!" Aphrodite bounced away with the same energy she came with.

Was this what having friends was like? People remembered your name and helped you? Peter decided he liked having actual friends. "Peter, you let all of your ice cream melt. Do you want me to buy you another one?"

"No, that's okay. I had fun."

* * *

 **The definition in the muggle dictionary for waiting is as follows:** the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens. For a young soul who was quickly watching her life disappear before her eyes, the delay was never ending. Her family had been gone for _hours_ , leaving her to watch the nine year old who somehow ate more candy than there was in Honeydukes' storage room. How she hadn't died yet was beyond magical or muggle comprehension.

"Are they back yet? Are they back yet? Oooh, I bet they bought us new coats! Or at least they got Eros a new coat and _you'll_ get his old one. Does that mean that…?" She yelped as if she lost her balance on a pogo stick, slamming into the couch as the giggles were shocked out of her.

Her older sister immediately rushed to check on her, hands brushing over ribs and arms to make sure nothing was broken. She searched around for a flashlight and quickly checked for a head injury. "Don't you dare ever scare me like that again, what is wrong with you?" She took a deep breath to calm the needles prickling underneath her skin as the residual fear disappeared. That was her word of the day, residual. "I swear I'm going to tell Mrs. Adams that you're allergic to sugar and sweets." It was a slip of the tongue that was hidden beneath her breath, but there was nothing a nine year old can't hear.

"You can't do that! Why are you trying to ruin my life? Is it because you don't have one of your own?" There was a blur of blonde hair as she stormed away to go hide somewhere and write about how awful siblings were in her diary.

The door swung open as her siblings brought back all of their school supplies. "So what'd you get me?" Aphrodite just beamed at her and suddenly she understood why Juno thought it was the end of the world.

* * *

 **AN: Thank you again for reading, I just wanted to let you guys know that as we get more into the Hogwarts school year, I'd love to hear prank ideas and you can submit character names with a house and short description (pureblood, half-blood, muggleborn, only child, blood purist, etc..) if you want to see someone pop up! I can't tell you how involved they'll get, it just depends on how they fit. Tootles! I'll be updating weekly, crossing my fingers, but AP homework will take priority if I get behind. I will warn y'all of that before hand though instead of just disappearing.**


	2. The Cramped Train Compartment

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

* * *

 **September 1st, 1971**

 **It was a brilliant idea to hide the platform from muggles, but to see someone run straight into a wall and disappear was strange to say the least.** How did muggles see it? Going in alone, Peter never really though much for what the reaction he left behind where. Or at least, what other people left behind. No one really noticed him anyway.

"Peter! I can't believe we found you, it's a mad house this year." He was startled out of his thoughts when someone grabbed his arm, almost dropping all of his bags on the ground. "Oh, did I startle you? Or did I get your name wrong?" She looked so concerned about what'd she'd done, he was mesmerized by her face. Her eyebrows scrunched together and her nose wrinkled. She sort of went cross eyed too. "Can I help you with your bags then?" Again, startled out of his thoughts but this time he did drop his trunk. "I'll take that as a yes."

He mumbled some apologies as they collected his things and carried them towards the train. "You got it right, you know. My name. It was Aphrodite, right?" He could have melted when she sent that smile his way.

She led him to the compartment her siblings were in, chatting about something or other as she went. "I already dropped off all my stuff so we should be good to fit. You're going to love Venus, I promise. She's a bit on the awkward side, but aren't we all?" _If anyone who looks like her is awkward, what does that make me?_ "Cute." Apparently he said that out loud. He kept his mouth shut the rest of the way to the compartment, where they were greeted by almost all familiar faces. One that reflected Aphrodite's, and of course Eros, but there was a boy he'd never seen before in the corner part of the right booth by the window. "I don't know that one, but this is Venus."

"Don't be so rude!" Her sister chided before turning to Peter with another distracting smile. Had all of the siblings taken Felix Felicis? No one could be that confident and happy all the time. Maybe that should have warned him away from them, but he sat himself down next to Eros. "This is Remus Lupin, I met him while shopping in Bristol and to my _great_ surprise, I quite literally ran into him again."

"Both times were your fault so any acquaintance that happens afterwards is your fault." That started an argument over whether or not they were _really_ friends or if Venus was just quick to adopt people.

There was a nudge in his side as he jolted awake, realizing he had dozed off due to the steady beat of the tracks. "Am I in trouble?" He rubbed at his eyes only to realize there were four concerned faces watching him. _Shit. He was dead_.

One of the faces kneeled in front of him and looked him over like he was a patient. "Why would you be in trouble? You were tossing in your sleep and we need to put on our robes on but that can wait until you've calmed down." She sounded like a mother when she talked, someone comforting and ready to help you. At least, he imagined it was like that. "Look at me, we're going to breathe together. It's eight seconds in, ten out, right?" She turned to her brother. _Sixteen._ "One, two three…"

As he focused on her, the birds in his chest caught a ride on his breath and flew out of the compartment. He knew he was having an anxiety attack, his dad had taught him how to deal with them when he was little and he found out the monsters under the bed were real.

"Okay, we're going to leave so you guys can change into your robes. Then it's our turn. Does that work?" When he nodded, she got up and dragged her sister out of the room. Later she would tell him about her panic attacks about snakes and curses that slithered in the dark with shared masters. Or just one in particular.

* * *

 **It was definitely easier to find their way to hogwarts when a giant was shouting, "Firs' years!** Firs' years over 'ere, I need the lot o' yer! Firs' years over 'ere!" Upon seeing that all of the youngest students were blearily staring up at him with concerned expressions, the man smiled. "Hello, me name's Hagrid and I'll be leadin' y'all to Hogwarts. 'm half-gian' 'r half a gian', 'pends 'n how yer see me." A few kids laughed, his shoulders dropping as relief let go of the tension. The entire atmosphere turned calmer. "Firs' years, climb on 'n!" He gestured to the canoes behind him. "Try no' ter fall 'n, I can' swim."

"Then how is he going to get across the river?" Sirius glared at whoever said that, his eyes landing on a well dressed pureblood who clearly had not learned manners or the ability to whisper in his eleven years of life.

Hargid didn't seem phased by the comment, simply continued helping students into the boats. James and Sirius were put in a boat with two other boys who were both looking at the people nearest them like they'd rather be there. "Are we going to have to get these two as well? I mean look at them, can't even look a Potter in the eye."

"Leave them alone, Black. Just because you think you're better than everyone else doesn't mean you have a right to bully new students. I know all about your family and what they do to anyone who's not pure, if you so much as try it I'll do worse." There were two girls glaring at them like they were personally insulted, receiving high gives from the redhead in the boat with them. Lily, if he remembered correctly.

Before James could quite literally tip the boat, Sirius butted in. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I wasn't wearing my 'family disgrace' tie today. Potter, did I leave it at home? Well, I guess people are just going to have to _not_ judge me on my name."

The girl on the right with the freckles raised an eyebrow. "Why not? You judge us on ours."


	3. The Slow Sorting

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

 **AN: As my Beta reader is currently unavailable, most of this has only been viewed by my eyes (though I did get a lot of help on the song). Edits and suggestions are always welcome,** _ **constructive**_ **criticism fits that. Any comments making fun of anything will be deleted. Thank you!**

* * *

 **September 1st, 1971**

 **He wasn't the first by any means, there were at least two people ahead of him from what he had heard.** Maybe if he was, they would have forgotten all about him. Chalked it all up to oddity and sighed in relief because all the others were normal. But no, he just had to be a black.

Walking into the Great Hall was an experience, to say the least. Sirius had learned to cool his expression into a mask of calm while looking straight ahead, but his mind was racing. After the initial ant feeling was stepped on by the prankster in him, ideas flooded through him as he caught things in his peripheral vision. There was a ceiling for one so if they did anything with levitation, no one would be in serious danger. He resisted the urge to smirk and mentally jotted down a few other things, like how they were going to have to figure out how the illusions worked. He finally took his place with the other first years, bumping James' shoulder lightly. He almost tuned out the beginning of the sorting ceremony but then they brought out an old hat who cleared its voice and began to sing.

 _When I was sewn all that time ago,_

 _They gave me trick apon to learn._

 _People's heads I sit upon,_

 _Their path I discern._

 _Gryffindor gave me bravery,_

 _To look into your heads,_

 _From Ravenclaw her wits,_

 _To tell you what they said._

 _Hufflepuff gave me honor,_

 _To keep the houses strong,_

 _From Slytherin his ambition,_

 _To help you get along._

 _Godric Gryffindor taught the brave,_

 _Who would stand in the line of fire._

 _He matured their arrogance,_

 _Made them someone to admire._

 _Rowena Ravenclaw taught the witty and smart,_

 _Whose learning could not be stopped._

 _She directed their minds,_

 _So their classes would not be flopped._

 _Helga Hufflepuff taught the honorable,_

 _Those whose loyalty could not be squashed._

 _She taught them who to trust,_

 _And taught a blind man's cost._

 _Salazar Slytherin taught the cunning,_

 _Who used tongues instead of swords._

 _He taught them what was grey and what was dark,_

 _How to protect friends from the untoward._

 _Come sit upon this stool,_

 _Where blood matters not._

 _I will sort you by your values,_

 _And what you need to be taught._

If he had had anything in his mouth when the last verse was sung, he would have choked or done a very impressive spit take. He knew the song changed every year, did the Hat know about the blood purists? All the talk of staying united, especially surrounding Slytherin and ignoring blood, could it be a warning for what was going to come? _Hey, slow down. Your job is to survive the Sorting, first year and summer back home. Relax._

"Antion, Charles." Ravenclaw, he slid easily into the benches and began whispering to his housemates. _Half-blood, probably asking about classes and homework._ "Blach, Hannah." Hufflepuff. _She wouldn't fit anywhere else, most muggle borns go there_. But then he remembered what the hat said and quickly shut off those thoughts. "Black, Sirius."

When his name was called, he sent a thumbs up to James who looked like he was having a worse time than the one actually getting sorted. Both boys knew what would happen if something went wrong today. He rolled his eyes and then sent a wink to the girls from the boat, appearaning the ever confident pureblood. But if anyone cared to look, they could tell he was shaking.

The hat was placed like she was ready to rip it right back off like all the others, but there was only silence in the hall. _Don't fit in with the rest of them do you?_ Even the hat knew it, if he was right about who was in his head. _What house do you want, boy? You could be a Slytherin with that cunning charm of yours or a Hufflepuff with your loyalty and drive to protect your friends. Or maybe Gryffindor, they'd but that hero complex to good use instead what you're doing now._

He knew what his family would say if they heard about this conversation. It would be a disgrace that he wasn't placed in Slytherin already and even worse that it wasn't even a debate between Slytherin and Ravenclaw like it had been for for Andromeda. If he was put in one of the other two…

 _But you were still happy to hear one of them and want to be sorted there. I think you'll fit right in with that group, just keep that charm in check or you'll cause more damage in that group than any other house._ The hat cleared it's voice once again to get everyone's attention, even though the hall was silent with anticipation. Even thirty seconds deliberation was strange for a Black. "It's got to be...Gryffindor!"

There was silence, even from Mcgonagall as he walked over to take his seat. He kept his head up and avoided looking anyone in the eye, sitting down where there was plenty of room between him and everyone else.

He watched as the person after him was sorted. "Bones, Alice." She soon found herself a seat across from him even though there was plenty of room anywhere else. She extended an olive branch in the form of a wary smile. "I'm Alice, Alice Bones."

"I heard...I'm Sirius." He stuck out his hand to shake and relaxed when she took it, her own shoulders releasing their previous tension. "I promise I'm not as bad as the rest of my family, I mean I got sorted into the best house at Hogwarts so that's gotta say something." He tried throwing her his signature smile that would have made any pure blooded girl swoon.

If there was anyone who could be more done with his antics than James, it was going to be this girl. He could already tell. "I heard." She sent the charming smile right back and his heart right about stopped in its tracks. He already liked this girl. When a red head eagerly joined them, Alice quickly introduced them both. "Both of us are purebloods but I promise I don't bite, but I can't speak for Sirius over there."

"Hey!" He pouted as the other two laughed, his mask slipping into a true smile as he got to know them. "You're Lily, right? Sorry about on the train, I hate it when people make fun of the houses." Specifically a few, but she didn't need to know that.

"I'm sure that's all it was." But she was still talking to him so it was a start.

* * *

" **Lupin, Remus!"** He was almost certain that this was when they were going to tell him that they found out his secret and he was going to be sent to the woods to survive, or die, on his own. As long as he was away from the grounds, the other students would be safe. When he stepped forward though, Mcgonagall just gestured to the stool.

 _Let's see; you've got that pack mentality so you'd learn a lot from the Hufflepuffs in that aspect, but you're more of an explorative learner than someone to sit in a class. Ravenclaw would keep you on track to do great things, but no I think I got it. You want to protect people not because you don't value your own life like you think, but because you believe others are worth more. Your loyalty will be a great asset, but you must choose your pack wisely._ "Yes, I think we agree...Gryffindor!"

Remus was too stunned to say anything and had been wide eyed underneath the brim of darkness since the hat so easily brushed over his _condition_ as his mother called it. _Monstrosity_ was more like it, but he climbed off the stool and made his way over to the other Gryffindor first years anyway. _The hat easily brushed over blood status in the song, but did that include me?_ He sat down next to the two girls and stared at the table in wonder. He was officially a student at Hogwarts. _Now to keep from getting kicked out…_

* * *

 **Usually his anxiety was a liar and just held him back from doing things, as most people's anxiety did.** So when he watched the people in front of him get sorted, he told himself that his was going to be normal. He was okay with any house he got and there was nothing that was going to make him stand out. There was a hand squeezing his, Aphrodite's face like marble as she looked at the hat that decided the course of their lives. "We're going to be okay." He didn't know if that was more for his sake or her's.

He climbed slowly up to the stool and almost tripped getting onto it. There was no way this could get any more embarrassing, but life just loved to prove him wrong. He swung his feet lightly to keep his balance, white knuckles holding tightly to the rim under his bum. There was silence, long enough that he almost asked if the hat was broken.

There was a quiet laugh in the back of his mind, like an old man sitting in his rocking chair reading the funny pages of a newspaper. _You boys are going to get along like wildfire in the dry season aren't you. But which ones? You could go to Slytherin and become part of a powerful force, your cunning wit would mature and you'd have a snake's tongue. But if you went to Gryffindor, you'd find a pack that will do great things. You are quite the interesting case, you'd fit in either house and have almost the same path. Will you take power, great things? What do you want to find?_ That was way too much to think about, plus the fact that there was a hat talking to him in his head.

"Um..." He closed his eyes when he found the world was waiting for him, he just wanted it to stop. _Can you hear my thoughts?_ It was a silly question, of course it could, but he needed to know anyway. _So if I understand this correctly, I can pick what house I want to go into? Can I just go with whatever my friends are going to be?_

There was that laugh again. It made him feel like a child who was asking why the sky was blue and the answer was debating on whether or not to give the real reason or an uncomplicated fake one. _Maybe I should put you in Ravenclaw, all these loopholes and questions._ There was a pause as he rubbed his chin. _You ask about friends instead of jumping on the chance for power and greatness. I can not place you with the girls you know, I can tell you that now. But I can place you where you will thrive and find where you belong. Though Slytherin might actually fit your personality better…_

 _No! I want to be placed where you were thinking of before. I don't care if my friends aren't there, I can talk to them in class._ He had learned to control his tongue but not his thoughts, they were where he was free to speak what he thought was the truth without retribution. But now someone was listening. He crossed his arms over his chest to draw himself inward like he would be hit for being rude to the Sorting Hat.

This time the laugh wasn't quiet, it was warm and joyous like someone just announced they were getting chocolate lava cake. _I thought that would show your true colors. And now I know just what they are._ "Gryffindor!"

"What was the time on that?" It was a whisper from Mcgonagall, but the dead silence carried it throughout the room. "Five minutes! It seems we've had a hat stall." She helped Peter off the stool, holding his shoulders so he wouldn't fall when his head started spinning. "Welcome to my house young man, I'll see you in class." She let him go slowly, watching him with a face that reflected his own concern.

The rest of the night was a blur of claps on the back, Alice stopping him from face planting into his food and Remus' arm around his shoulders.

* * *

 **So what if this was the year of dramatic Sorting, that didn't mean it was going to be the same with him.** James Potter was not nervous as he walked up those steps, he stared straight ahead and kept his head up. He bites his lip when he's excited, this was a time to be respectful and not for acting like a little kid. The hand he ran through his hair? He wants to show off to the ladies like his dad showed him.

The hat had barely touched his head when it started talking. _Well what do we have here! You got the pride for sure, the bravery and drive to do what's right. But be careful, you'll also have the arrogance of your house. The ends do not justify cruel means, remember that lesson._ Before he could even answer, or process that, the Hat was announcing he was a Gryffindor, relief flooding his body and untangling all the knots. He slung an arm around Sirius and waved at Lily, the girl from the train. "Your friend ditch you yet, being with the brawny kids?"

"Considering the fact that Severus is my friend and you're just a no good jerk pure-blood, I'll take my chances with him." Lily crossed her arms and glared him, her lip curling up in a snarl. She turned back to Alice to talk about what the dorms would be like, answering Sirius if he asked her anything but otherwise ignored their side of the table. _I'm going to marry this girl..._

* * *

 **Aphrodite was going before her sister for the first time in her eleven years of life because she couldn't just ask her sister to do this for her.** To go first and be the one to test the waters. She was meant to be the one who heals her up afterwards or gets dragged in behind her, not the one running into things and knowing exactly what to do if it went wrong. Of course her sister only knew because a lot of things had gone wrong over the years.

"Williams, Aphrodite." It was a simple thing to do, put one foot in front of the other up and over steps. She hummed quietly to herself, " _and soon you'll be walking cross the floor_ " to keep from finishing the verse and heading out the door instead.

When the hat was situated on her head, when she had gotten on the stool she didn't know, it was quiet for a moment. _You know dear, you're quite the oddball. You've got Slytherin's self preservation but Ravenclaw's need to explore. It's just a matter of what's stronger._ She was curious about Slytherin, but not enough to want to be sorted there. "Ravenclaw!" She ran over to her brother and almost crushed him in a hug. "I'm so excited!"

"Is there going to be more of you?" It was a snide comment from Charles who was sorted first, someone she recognized from the train. "I can already tell I'm going to switch houses when your sister shows up."

She flipped him off without thinking about it and shied away when Mcgonagall glared at her. But only slightly.

* * *

 **She was going to be alright because everyone else was, there was no way that there could be three dramatic sortings...right?** She knocked on a table as she passed, _quietly_ , just in case. What was the worst case scenario? She went into a house where she had no one. She would most likely be sorted with her siblings, but if she went to Gryffindor she'd have Remus and Peter. If she went into Hufflepuff, at least all of them were relatively friendly and extremely loyal to their housemates. Before she could even think anything else, she realized she was sitting on the stool with her eyes covered by the brim. She supposed she was grateful, it meant she couldn't see the eyes on her.

 _So many hard cases this year, I can't imagine what's it's going to be like when your lot sends their kids here._ When that didn't seem to phase her in the least, there was an amused chuckle like he'd just been proven right. Was the hat a he? _Why do I need to have a gender?_ Good point. _You know you're the strangest one yet, you would fit into two opposite houses. Hufflepuffs are a house of honor and loyalty, they make friendships that last decades. Slytherins on the other hand make alliances not for loyalty, but to gain something. They have opposing views on how things work and yet….you have the honor of a Hufflepuff but the cunning ambition of a snake. Do you know where I'll put you?_

 _Put me anywhere and I'll fit in just fine._ Apparently that was what he was looking for as he announced her house, her tie turning green and silver as she walked over to her table. Most of the other first years ignored her but the one next to her stuck out a hand. "I'm Venus."

"Severus Snape, welcome to purebloods playground." His tone made him sound like he was more than just a terrified first year. "You seem smart enough, we'll see about making an alliance after the first day of classes. Think you can keep up, half-blood?" There was a challenge in his voice, the guarding of someone who wanted to learn who you are.

Venus raised an eyebrow at him to convey how utterly ridiculous he was for asking her that question. "Blood doesn't dictate marks in a class, as you'll quickly learn being on one with me. The question isn't if I'll keep up, it's how long it'll take for me to over take your head start." She turned to face the food that appeared in front of them, happily taking as much as she wanted. She was going to like being in this house, at the very least she'd never be bored.


	4. Classes and Catastrophes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

* * *

 **September 2nd, 1971**

 **Contrary to popular belief, Sirius Black was not an idiot by any means.** As much fun as it was to goof off during classes, he actually took notes and at the very least got Acceptables on his tests. Or, rather, he was planning to. And because of the fact that he wasn't stupid, he walked with James and the other Gryffindor first years to every class and tried to keep his head down.

"I don't understand why _you_ need to be in this group. You or James. You're both purebloods and have powerful families, most people will stay away from you." The comment came from Darla Pewitt who was a pureblood herself, but her family had a history of marrying muggle borns and muggles themselves. She herself was only a first generation "pureblood" meaning one of her great-grandparents was part muggle.

The answer came soon enough as they came across arguing on their way up their next class, only just having rounded the corner when they saw the group of older Slytherins with a few first years, Lily was clearly upset to see Snape as one of them. "He's not worth this, don't you see that? You know what's going to happen if a teach finds out a _pureblood_ was…" Cissy cut herself off when she noticed the group of Gryffindor first years approaching. She gave Sirius a pitying look and stepped aside. Although she conformed to their families pressures, she was by no means the worse. She did as she was told but didn't actually believe what she was doing, it was just a survival method. She was a Slytherin through and through.

When the first wand was raised, Andromeda stepped forward and instructed all of the first years to get to class. "You are not to take part in this, I don't want the habit of losing house point rubbing off on you all." As soon as they disappeared, there was nothing she could do so she stepped aside. "Have at him. I'm going to class, come along Cissy." Even with her disdain for the name, Narcissa followed obediently as ever behind her sister.

"Are you going to step forward to protect all the mudbloods, blood traitor Gryffindor that you are? Or are you a coward?" Lucius was such a hypocrite, hiding in the middle of the crowd and ready to slip away if any teachers showed up.

Sirius knew this was coming and made sure he was at the front of the group, glaring at the people that would be protecting him if only he'd been in their house. "You're all.." He hissed as the wordless cutting curse hit his leg, pain flaring up and down his nerves. "Apparently you finally got a silver tongue, yet are still afraid to use it." There were more wands raised to retaliate, but then there were voices around the corner and the crowds dispersed. He hobbled to the Hospital Wing by himself, knowing the warning was made clear and there was nothing else coming,

* * *

 **Walking the halls alone as a first year was incredibly stupid, but she had no choice.** Snape wasn't taking the same elective as her so he couldn't walk with her to their classes anymore and the sixth year that decided she was Venus' mentor after being impressed by her reaction to Snape's guarding at dinner the night before, had her own classes. So she was stuck.

"You're a Slytherin, none of the other houses are going to target you because they either think they're better than that or are afraid you'll humiliate them." Though Severus was right, the other houses weren't what made her nervous. After saying goodbye as they left Charms together, he ran to catch up to the real reason she thought it was stupid to walk alone. The fifth year Slytherin boys were blood purists and had a cruel sense of humor that they liked to use to terrorize the school. When she'd comment on their nastiness, Severus just rolled his eyes. "They don't _actually_ believe that stuff, they just put on a show like the rest of us."

"I don't need to put on a show; I know how to be who I am and _survive_ this school." She'd stormed out of the common room and made her way to the Great Hall without their prefect, plopping down next to Andromeda. She'd barely gotten the chance to wave at her sister and friends before her view was blocked by the same boys her only acquaintance in the house had attached himself to like a leech looking for power.

Speak of the devil's and they shall appear. "Leave me alone!" Her curiosity got the better of her as she rounded the corner to find three of the group taking turns hexing a Gryffindor first year. She looked like she'd just come up for air with her cheeks flushed and shiny, her red hair plastered to her head with what could have been either slime or blood. She winced everytime they called her a mudblood even if it wasn't followed with a hex, the word was a punch to the gut no matter who said it.

"What do you think you're doing?" Venus put her best motherly voice on as she stormed over to get between them, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed. "Disgracing our house like this, I thought you were supposed to be role models!" She could feel the first year disappear behind a corner, but she didn't dare look away from the stunned faces of the boys in front of her. "I mean seriously, going after a muggle-born first year who has no idea how to defend herself! Where's your ambition or are you too afraid to go up against someone who can actually fight back? Pathetic."

As the boys went to raise their wands against her for making them lose their prey and the insults, Slughorn cleared his throat behind them. "It seems that the tradition of detentions given out on the first day will not be broken. You three will join me in detention every night for the next week and if I hear of you doing this again, there may well be an expulsion hearing. As it is, ten points from Slytherin each. I hope you enjoy telling your classmates exactly _why_ you lost them so many." The boys hurried off to their next class with hidden anger while her head of house turned to her instead. "What's your name dear? And why did you defend the girl?"

"Venus Williams, sir. I defended her because it's repulsive that they would use hexes on another student who hasn't even done anything wrong. I understand harmless ones for a prank, though I would not participate myself, but actually aiming to hurt someone?" Her face twisted into disgust that she couldn't mask. Her worries of her teacher taking away points for disrespecting her housemates was squashed.

Slughorn's face lifted in relief and he passed her a smile. "I believe you're going to be one of my favorites, if you can pass my Potions class. 15 points to Slytherin for true representation of the house." He disappeared around the corner.

She turned around to look for the girl who was attacked, but found nothing. _She must have already gone to the hospital wing_.

* * *

" **They just kept hexing me like it was a game, giving the spells that would fix it after they had a laugh so I had no proof to go to a teacher."** She was shaking as she explained what had happened to some of the other first years, not realizing that the elder years had joined them in the common room as well. "They kept calling me mud-blood and one of them started saying a cutting curse…" A sob escaped her before she could finish, Alice pulling her to her chest and started petting her hair. Once she could breathe again, she whispered a quiet thank you to her dorm mate and picked up where she left off. "He never got the chance to finish though because there was this first year in between us, yelling at them about how they were disgracing Slytherin. I hid around the corner but I heard Slughorn give the boys detention and threaten expulsion. He gave 15 points to Slytherin to the girl though, for defending me."

When she looked up, she found faces that were so shocked you would have thought she'd been Dumbledore who apperated into the house and shaved his beard. "Why on earth would a Slytherin go against fifth years, let alone to defend a muggle born? No offense Lily, it's them." A fourth year she didn't recognize was the first to speak up.

Lily huffed, insulted that they would target her protector. "Well of course she would go after fifth years _because_ she's a Slytherin. Ambition, take down a few of the top dogs and no one messes with you. Venus didn't even call me a mudblood during it, then when she thought I was gone and she was talking to Slughorn, she looked like was completely disgusted with them."

" _Venus_ defended you? That makes total sense then, she probably just charged in without thinking, She's a bit of a Gryffindor that way." It was one of her fellow first years but she didn't quite remember his name. His shaggy brown hair covered his eyes but it did nothing to hide the dark blush that fell over his cheeks from all the attention he was getting from their housemates. "What? Just because she's a Slytherin doesn't make her evil." Lily decided she liked this one and promised herself she'd find out his name.

* * *

 **AN: I am so bad at keeping to timelines because I just want to give you everything I write, but when life gets harder I want some extra chapters to fall back on. I still have a few but like. Would you rather me post everything now with longer waits later or keep to a schedule?**


	5. Happy Accidents and Holidays

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

* * *

 **After two weeks of being at Hogwarts, Remus had his first encounter with the Whomping Willow and the shack that Dumbledore had designated for him.** No one seemed to notice his change in behavior as the day before the full moon he grew sick, though Lily brought him soup from the kitchens to try and get him to eat something. Luckily it was chicken soup, though he had no idea how she found the kitchen or even why she cared about him at all. She tended to keep to herself unless she was with Alice or her other dorm mates, though Padma Mehta seemed to be more inclined to join them then the other two. Kaylie Weeber and Dua McNee had grown up together in the wizarding world and tended to stay away from muggle-borns. They weren't blood purists, they just didn't want to take the time to explain everything so much and Lily had accidentally offended them once.

Even though James, and by proximity Sirius, had started paying attention to him due to Lily, they were both too wrapped up in their mischief to care where he disappeared to at night. The rest of the Gryffindor first years didn't really seem to care either, as Frank was too busy spending his time with his Ravenclaw friends and Peter was usually alone unless he was with Aphrodite or the others as a whole.

Knowing no one would question him still made it hard to disappear from the dorms as he made his way out to the Whomping Willow and waited for the school nurse to levitate a branch to let him pass. As he had been sick in the hospital wing the day before, the Headmaster had taken the time to again explain what to do while Madam glared and insisted Remus needed rest.

"Welcome to hell, Lupin. It seems we've got ourselves another case of isolation with the added benefit of wards to keep anyone from investigating and to keep me inside unless I'm within my right mind. As it's the full moon, we all know that's not going to happen until the morning when Madam Pomfrey will carry me back to the hospital wing to tend to the wounds my wolf self will inflict. Let's get started shall we?" He had a habit of talking to himself when this happened, something he picked up after his parents hid him away during his first transformation...and all the time afterwards. He was grateful for the clothes and warm blanket that she had placed on the highest shelf, knowing full well that there was a stool hidden in the cupboard to help him get to it. At least the wolf would leave them alone while they were out of reach. He curled into a ball on the bed, waiting for the pain and the misery to follow the darkness rising in the window.

Waking up in the hospital wing was much different than waking up at home. This time there was no frantic searching for healing potions and fussing from his mother or the guilt written across his father's face. There was only Madam Pomfrey humming to herself as she but slaves on his wounds. "You did a number on yourself, didn't you?"

" No more than usual." He winced when she glanced up at him, the only evidence of her surprise was quickly hidden behind her smile. "You seem very calm for someone tending to a monster."

She snorted like he was a child telling her a joke. "Considering how many students I've tended to that went off and joined that prat of a man going on about blood purity, I'd say you aren't the worst. If only they knew he was a half-blood, maybe they'd go back to sitting on their hands and babbling the ludicrous ideas they'll never act on." She didn't seem to catch his wonder or realize that he had heard her, going back to humming as she finished wrapping up his wounds. Luckily there were none visible on his forearms, hands and face so he was allowed visitors. Most likely Lily with more soup and his homework. "If you get tired, now, don't let them keep you up. You hear me?"

He nodded slowly which seemed to satisfy her, watching her toddle off to take care of someone else.

* * *

"Remus! Oh I'm so glad you're okay, I just heard you'd been in here for almost three days! Stupid Gryffindors don't ever tell me anything. Finally I heard it from that muggle born, Lily I think it was. She gave me your homework cause she was almost positive you'd be bored in here." He wasn't expecting the worried Slytherin to appear, but it was nice to see her anyway. Her hair was shorter than before, having been cut with what looked like safety scissors. "Oh, this.." Upon seeing where his eyes were, her hand had nervously run to the mess that ended at her shoulders instead of her waist. "Retribution for arguing with housemates over a mugg..Lilly. It wasn't that bad, cause I got back half the points we lost from their targeting her. Hair grows back."

"I think it suits you." They both blushed when it processed that he had said that out loud. "I just mean, it doesn't look bad. Don't take my word for it if you don't like it, I just think it looks fine and…" His nervous chattering was cut off when she kissed his cheek, staring at her in wonder.

She giggled behind her hand at his expression. "I have to get to class, I'll let you know if anything interesting happens while you're still in here. Get better soon!" She wiggled her fingers to say goodbye, almost running out the door. That girl was going to be the death of him...or maybe she was going to be the one to make him live a little.

His thoughts were cut off when someone plopped themselves down by his feet and handed him a text book. "I don't know how you do this, mate. I mean, I understand the basics of it but I'm absolutely rubbish at potions and we've got a review test coming up. Short of someone else doing my homework, I've got nothing." Sirius Black leaning on his footboard pouting like a child with the _wrong_ textbook was not what he was expecting. He could understand Venus being worried as she rarely got to see him and probably got little information from his housemates, but _Sirius_? He was almost certain he was hallucinating from the pain.

"You can't make sick people do your homework. Besides, that's not going to help with the test." The older boy's other half joined them by pulling up a chair and handed his best friend the potions textbook he'd clearly tried to get away from. "How ya doin', Lupin?"

"I'm doing great, Potter. It's a wonder she'd kept me in here so long." Considering he looked like someone had doused him in bleach and left him in a snowstorm, there was no way that his sarcasm could even go over _their_ heads. "What exactly is it that you two want from me? I thought it was Slytherin's jobs to kick people while they're down."

The boys exchanged a look before bursting into laughter, quickly deciding something with hand movements he didn't know how to read. "We like you and we wanted to hang out. But since your stuck and we're falling behind, we'd figured you could help us study then we'd watch the Quidditch game between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff once you're out."

"That doesn't seem like you want to be friends. That sound like you want something from me and in exchange you'll _let_ me hang out with you." As little social interaction before Hogwarts as he'd had, he knew full well how to recognize bull when it was shoved under his nose. He quite enjoyed the shocked expressions on their faces too, knowing full well that those two knew how to control them for a crowd and that it was rare that someone could bring out true emotion. How did he know that? He'd been paired with them for every class and had only seen James slip up around Lily. "Here's the deal. I'll help you study, not give you the answers. If I decide you two aren't the jerk purebloods my friends think you are and that you've been acting like, I'll let you know about that Quidditch game."

Sirius turned to his best friend and was the first to respond through his chuckling. "I've never seen Jamsie so quiet before. You sure you haven't learned a stunning spell?" There was a real smile behind those words so there was hope. But then James shoved the other boy off the bed for the nickname and he was again distracted from his thoughts.

* * *

Okay, so maybe James and Sirius weren't _that_ bad. They could be prats if they were having a rough day or didn't understand something, like boundaries for instance, but apologized for their behavior afterwards. "Apologies don't count if you just go off and do it again!" James went blind after a loud whack sounded through the hall, and he was pulling hair out of his mouth for two days. It was gross, but Remus high fived Lily at lunch.

"Okay, I know that she doesn't like us very much at the moment because she's a girl and they do that for some reason. But that doesn't mean we let one of our own get hurt by someone." It had been decided that retaliation was necessary almost immediately after their study session. By that, he meant there was no study session. "I was thinking we could hex his hand or something to make every drink he touches mud, but I don't exactly know how to do that." All of his ideas centered around mud to make it clear it was for the mudblood comment. "How about we make a trap outside a Slytherin classroom to make him fall in it?"

"That won't work." He had been quiet for most of the time, electing to focus on what he was _actually_ planning for, but for some reason Remus wanted to help. "You'd have to charm the floor before school started and our house is first. Besides, someone else could fall who wasn't involved."

Sirius beamed. "I know!" He wasn't singing the same tune a week later when they found themselves in Slughorn's office while he chidded them on their well planned prank. "I don't know who did it sit, honest!" _If pureblood's honor was a thing, he'd swear by it._ The plan was to get one of the muggleborns to "receive" a special treat in the mail, one that the Slytherins couldn't help targeting. Instead, they'd find themselves eating candies with a dragon's breath hex on them. It was hilarious to watch them running around trying to ask for water as steam escaped their ears and their tongues stuck out of their mouth and their hands waving. No one wanted to tell them that water didn't help, but eventually Venus gave them all some milk to cool down their tongues while Slughorn tried to reverse it.

By chance, Peter Pettigrew stumbled into the classroom, having forgotten all of his books. "I'm sorry to interrupt Professor but I…" When his eyes landed on his housemates, Remus could have sworn his eyes bugged out of his head. "What are you lot doing here?" His voice was shaking, but his words were confident.

"These three were caught using a hex on another student. They were seen in the library a week before and have motive, one of their housemates was attacked by the students affected. It obvious who the perpetrators are." Slughorn didn't look that angry but there was an air of annoyance around him like he didn't think it was worth his time to deal with three first years.

Peter almost turned to go but seemed to take a second to find where he lost his Gryffindor courage. "Professor, we had a potions test that week and the only books I saw at their table were potions. They didn't take out the proper book, ask Madam Pince." This was enough to cause doubt and he would have been none the coward if he left it at that. But he'd tasted his own bravery and found it addicting. "Oh and Professor? Thank you for the extra help on the potions lesson, I was struggling with the text but you explained it better." He disappeared out of the doorway while the three boys stared after him.

When Slughorn let them go, they made it their mission to befriend the shy boy who rarely ever spoke. All it took was them sitting with him one day at lunch, and it seemed that they would never leave again.

* * *

 **Getting the letter from her parents informing her that she wasn't going home for Christmas break due to Petunia's cries about her friends coming over and having a witch in the house.** "As much as it pains us to admit, it might be better for you to stay home. We don't want you around her when she's like this and you haven't learned to control your magic yet. We're excited to hear all about your school year thing summer when you come home and in your letters." She broke down in the dormitory that night, curling up in her sheets to find some comfort in the warmth they provided.

"Lily dear, it seems we've got a problem. You're sad and I don't know how to fix it." There was a quiet squeak as the bed shifted beneath the now two bodies that rest upon it. "You see, I always hated knowing that my friends were in pain. But none of them have ever shut themselves off from me like you do." Alice's eyes were wide with worry and her lips pressed into a thin line.

Red eyes poked out from the sheets as same colored hair followed. "My parents don't want me to go home for Christmas, they think with all the tension between my sister and me, I'm a danger." If she had any more tears to cry, she would have started bawling her eyes out. "My parents don't want me anymore because they think my magic is dangerous. What am I going to do?" She buried herself back in the blankets, refusing to accept that she wasn't wanted by her family anymore. Maybe if she buried herself enough, she wouldn't have to face her own reality.

There was a huff much like her mother when her uncles came over. "Lily Evans, I did not take you for an idiot when we first met." The indignant squawk that came from the bundle lends itself to the laughter that erupted from one of the other beds and the one she was on. " _You_ , are not a danger to anyone at the moment and you never will be if you hide yourself away like this! Both Padma and I will be staying here over Christmas break as well and would love to spend it with you So if you don't mind getting your flat arse out of bed, we can go get lunch."

Once Alice found her way out of the mess that her roommate threw on her as payback, she grabbed their hands and raced down the stairs. Padma opened the door for them, winking at Lily as she went. "I think your butt is wonderful Lily, especially good for falling on like at our last flying lesson?"

"Hey, leave her alone girls." Remus hugged Lily from behind once she sat down, leaning all his weight into it so she almost face planted into her potatoes. "I think I'm terrified from the glares I'm receiving, someone get a mandrake!"

"I think Sirius singing will do a better job than that. At least if you die, you won't have to hear it anymore." Peter yelped as he was zapped on the nose by a very put out Black. "You're the one who goes that in the shower, I don't see how you can blame me for making fun of you." He grinned as all the girls started giggling at the horror on Sirius' usually controlled face.

There was a whizzing noise then a paper airplane poked Peter in the forehead. "You should be nicer to your friends, Peter. I can't imagine Sirius will ever be able to recover if his face gets stuck like that, though it would give us all a laugh." The voice was definitely female but no one else at the table seemed to recognize it, besides of course the red cheeked boy who had received it. "Courtyard after lunch, you owe me."

There were whoops and hollers from the table as he rushed out when they were done eating, everyone giggling over his "girlfriend". Lily soon found that all of her friends were staying over Christmas break, Padma because her family didn't celebrate, Peter and Remus because their parents were away and Alice because she had owled home to tell them she was staying to be with Lily. As much as she was dreading the disappearance of all her classmates and the silence of the castle, it would seem that she was going to have a lot more fun than she originally thought.

* * *

"Watch out!" Lily squealed like one of the pigs next door, throwing herself behind a tree to shield herself from the projectiles flying at her. "Remus, you okay?" When all she got was a groan in response, she knew she was done for. "Come on Evans, this just just like back home. With magic and hexes and friends." She took a deep breath and just barely dodged the pound of snow flying over her head. She whirled around when she heard the scream, hands flying to her face when she saw the two girls lying on the ground. "I am so sorry! Did one of us hit you?"

Alice ran over with blood flooding her cheeks and not just from the cold. "Oh, it was all my fault. I go a bit mental when it comes to games like these." She helped them both up and dusted off their robes, her eyes crinkling.

"That was an amazing throw, how did you do that?!" The girls were twins, no doubt. They had the same dark frizzy curls that framed their faces and their eyes were the same, bark from an oak tree to protect themselves. The only difference was one of them was taller and she was the one speaking. "I mean, I've seen Venus throw snowballs at the boys in our neighborhood before but never anything like that!" Realizing that there were four people staring at her in confusion, she flushed darkly. "My names Aphrodite, this is my sister Venus and Frank Longbottom, he's in Ravenclaw with me."

"You know we could use a few extra players?" When all of them were thoroughly soaked head to toe from their time outside, they all hurried back into the castle to change. It only seemed fitting to wear the flannel pajamas they all got with the colors of their house, curling up by the shorter tables that had been brought in so students from all houses could sit together. Venus was leaning on her sister, sipping the hot chocolate they'd snatched from the kitchen along with some freshly made donuts.

There was only the sound of quiet munching and the sighs of comfortable preteens as they relaxed. "You know, I didn't realize that a boarding school could be so much fun. I know that the magic and the ghosts and the moving stairs and the…" She trailed off when she got poked by one of the twins and slapped their hand away. "Anyway, it's nice to know that snowball fights and hot chocolate are universal."

"Of course they are! Did you think we were _all_ barbaric?" Frank looked at her with such offense that she was actually worried for a second. Then he broke out into a smile and their laughter rang throughout the Great Hall. When everyone else came back for school, they were surprised to see the tight group that had stayed. Of course Remus and Peter were a bit on the outside but they laughed whenever one of the girls called someone a barbarian, sat with Frank in the common room to study and hugged the twins when the saw them in the halls.

* * *

One day in February when Frank gave each of the girls a yellow rose, two of them watched him give the final one to Alice with sly smiles. "It's sweet of him to think of us on Valentines day, but I truly believe it was all a ploy to give a rose to her." Lily brought her attention back to the friend across from her, reflecting her relaxed posture as they leaned in one of the open arched windows. "I bet they end up dating by third year, they'll be the power couple of the school."

Aphrodite's eyes seemed distant as she watched them, like she was looking through their bodies to see what was beyond them. "Oh, I don't think so. She's got too much Gryffindor pride to make the first move and he'll be too distracted to notice she recuperates his feelings. During the summer though, that's the time to fall in love. I think that's why they choose June for their wedding. It'll be lovely." It wasn't like flipping a switch, her voice suddenly dropping back into it's normal tone instead of being in the skies. She didn't turn around and comment on Lily's shock. She just sat there with her lazy smile, humming a tune no one else knew. If she was right, her friends would be hearing it years later as the Longbottoms first dance after becoming husband and wife.


	6. Friends, Family and Fanatics

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

* * *

" **Your end of year exams will begin next week, I trust that you all have prepared," was announced by Dumbledore almost exactly six days ago.** She almost found it funny that now, she was watching the common room scramble to finish studying things she just had to review.

There was a tug on her hair so she would turn to see her best friend grinning up at her, or at least one of her many. "I never took you for a sadist, especially with that smile of yours." Dark eyes were visible only because he was grinning at her like a cheshire cat, his eyebrows wiggling like they were trying to escape. She had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing as the prefects would kick her out, they wanted everyone to do great on their exams to get extra points for their house. They were tied with Hufflepuff for first, only because James lost them 10 points for calling her friend Snivellus and getting all of the other first years to as well. Besides her and her friends, though Sirius only did it when he thought she wouldn't find out. Prats.

"I never took them for mascichts either but here we are." Lily curled up tighter in her blanket and turned her face away from the group. "Can I visit you over the summer? I know that you're dad works for the ministry so you probably live in the magical world but…"

They were interrupted by her _favorite_ bloody first year, sliding into the larger boy's lap and pretending to faint from the horrors of studying. "Save me Wolfie, protect me with your teeth and claws from the dangers of potions…" The minute terror on the poor boys face was enough to make James stop, rolling his eyes. "I'm kidding, I finished studying already. And Wolfie is because your last name is Lupin. It means wolf?" The way he was talking made it sound like this was the most reasonable thing in the world and they were idiots for not realizing it.

Lily sniffed and turned back to her friend. "Well at least you can come visit me, my sister is going to a camp this summer so I'm allowed to invite some friends over to stay because they can't afford for me to go too."

"Of course we'll come, how great of you to ask!" The glare on her face could have scared a basilisk blind but James was completely undeterred. "Were you going to wait until we were on the train to tell us or should I announce it to the common room?"

There was a growl that would have fit right in with their Magical Creatures teacher's pets. " _You_ are not invited, I thought that would be made clear by the fact that I don't like you _and_ by the fact that you are bullying one of my friends who _will_ be invited. Now if you'll please leave us alone, you've overstayed a welcome you never got." Lily raised an eyebrow as he just gave her another easy smile and raised his hands in a non threatening manner. When he was gone, she sunk into her chair and let her body mold to the cushions. "Why does he always target me?"

"He's got a crush on you and because he's a Potter, he's always gotten what he wanted. Doesn't make it right, but at the very least he's not the type to just takes what he wants and he's your age. There's been worse." _At least some things are the same from one world to the next._

* * *

Charms was not her favorite subject because for one, they had it with the Slytherins and two, she was not exactly the best with spells. It was also really hard to concentrate when mudblood was being whispered when she so much as twitched. Their professor either was a bigoted swine or was deaf beyond even Nicolas Flamel because they weren't exactly trying to cover anything up. "If you don't shut it, you'll find out exactly how little I differ from my family." The hissed threat shut them up for the time being though she could see Severus sneering at her friends for standing up for her. Sirius' eyes remained on his parchment but she could almost feel his rage at the people he might have befriended if things were different. She gave him a small smile to try and distract him, but all she got was a nod in return.

"Who does he think he is, threatening kids like that? I get that they were mouthing off at you and he shut them up right, but he makes an arse out of himself!" For someone who claimed to want to defend her, he was making quite the point of targeting her friends.

She knew the words would hurt him before they even formed into thought but for once she didn't care. Coming to Hogwarts put their friendship under veritaserum and she did not appreciate the secrets that came pouring out. His possessive nature, his jealousy of her other friends and the fact that she could care less what he thought about what she said because the other way around was certainly the same. "You sound like Potter."

He turned a barrage of different colors as he stared at someone he apparently didn't know. "They're bigoted prats who follow you around and tease you! What do you see in him?" If Severus wanted to be a stubborn prat, so be it.

"I don't see anything in _James,_ the arrogant toerag, he's not my friend for a reason! I thought you were, but I guess I was wrong." Like a tornado of fire, Lily swirled around and stormed off to find someone _worth_ her time and just shoved whoever tried to stop her into the wall. When she reached the library, she collapsed next to her two best friends and let everything pour down her cheeks into the soft carpet. Not even the librarian disturbed them.

* * *

No one even bothered them as they walked as a united front into the Great Hall, heads held high above any _Slytherin_ gaze while sparing a smile for their new friend who was clearly punishing her housemate as well. They sat with Randolph and his boyfriend who Lily could never remember the name of. They were both on the quiet side when they were outside of the common room, tending to just relax in the company. But at Quidditch matches they were louder than a _Sonorus_ charm could ever be, calling fouls and cheering each player by name.

"You would think they had favorites or something," Sirius would joke next to her while ducking when a stray bludger flew by, pretending to hit it right back at the other team. "One of these days they'll be cheering for _me_."

The deafening roar as the house cup was announced did nothing to lighten her mood, glad to hear that Slytherin came in last by the same amount of points they got taken away when they tortured her in the first part of the year. She still gave Venus a sympathetic smile and shrug while Ravenclaw cheered for their third place standing. No one in her house walked away happy knowing that they had lost to Hufflepuff, glaring at the chasers who had sealed their fate in the last match of the final. She just walked right by them and ignored the whispers of _Evans_ and of the fight outside of Slughorn's office.

"You know I'm so excited to get treats from the trolley, but I'm even more excited to try some of your muggle candy! At least you don't have to worry about it getting away from you." Aphrodite slung an arm around her, winking while the rest of her house moved along quickly. Hufflepuff followed.

There was a reason that Lily liked the other first year, and no it was not for their brilliance. "Hm..are you sure you won't scare it away too?" There was a joke in there that was hidden by her harsh anger. But any friend could see it was wrongfully placed and quickly regretted. "I didn't mean to...I'm sorry, that was uncalled for." She slid down onto a bench nearby with her hair hanging limpy next to her head, pressed down by the couch she slept on.

If there was anyone who could understand what a year it had been for her, it was her friends who had watched her go through it and had experienced it themselves. The targeting, the bullying, Potter's undying need for everyone to like him while thinking that _pranking_ and _humiliating_ them was the best way to do it. Yes he had his three friends but no one else really cared for the crew as a whole expect for when they needed a laugh. He specifically targeted Severus like he had a personal vendetta and she waited for the day he would look back and realize he was no better. She would relish in it as the shame washed over him for the first time in his privileged childhood.

"I feel awful having to turn down your offer of companionship this summer, it seems that my father wants me to join him for all his business endeavors. I'll send you cards from Romania and France." Potter looked so smug like he was doing her a favor.

"You're lucky you still have your teeth or you'll be gumming those Fizzing Whizbees." There was a holler as she was used as a human shield from the candy that was thrown at them, but she expertly caught in her mouth. Her eyes widened as she felt like she'd choked on pop, her body suddenly not touching the train booth. "What was that?" There was giggling from the other girls as she realized she must have looked like she got rabies with pink fizz dribbling down her chin. She pouted until Remus got her down and gave her a towel to wipe herself off, smiling sheepishly to convince her he meant no harm. "It's not legal for me to hex you so you're safe for the time being."

* * *

 **Getting on the train felt like he was going to an execution, he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop or change what would come when he got off it.** He smiled for his friends and teased James about the redhead he had no idea what to do with. "I swear I didn't know she was going to catch it."

"Trying to catch a peek up her skirt there mate?" It was an innocent joke that he'd heard on the telli when he snuck out into the muggle world. It still made James get him in a headlock, throwing them both to the floor so they could wrestle it out. If Sirius wasn't fighting back as hard as he usually did, his best friend didn't seem to notice. He waved off Peter's hand before fainting a heart attack and grasping desperately at the smaller boys hand. Even with his tendency to fall for their antics, he was too used to it to give the boy rolling around on the floor moaning a second glance. "Peter, how could you?"

Brown eyes narrowed in suspicion." And just who was it that filled my pillow with owl treats?" They all laughed, eyes closing or looking at the new jokester with a smile. No one noticed the one on the floor who relaxed his mask, asking quietly for the train ride to never end.

But when Severus tried to poke his head into the room to apologize, he didn't join in on the chorus' of Lily's defense. "You called her a mudblood then went off and went back to those Death Eater friends of yours! If you think words are going to fix this, you've got another thing coming!" Alice was probably the most terrifying person on the Express that morning. Soon after, he couldn't make himself care when his cousin walked by. She gave him a mental smile that was more of a threat than anything else, all teeth with lips pulled back and eyes narrowed. He just gave her a dead stare to let her know there was nothing she could do that he wouldn't experience the worse version of at home. She skipped away humming a death march tune, calling loudy to her friends that they were going to be at the station soon.

"Hey, do you know how to get to my house?" A whisper in his ear and a nod, of course he did. They had planned this day for years, mastered the art of slipping through windows and past wards. "Will you be _able_ to get to my house?" That question didn't need answering, but nonetheless there was a shaken head. "Do you know how to get to anyone else closer by? Can you contact anyone to come get you?"

"What does it matter when I'm not leaving that house besides in a coffin? Or maybe as a new house elf? Do you think my mother will be that kind?" What was with these boys and questions they knew the answers to?


	7. Our Consequences and Comforters

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

 **AN: Please skip this chapter if you are triggered or uncomfortable with reading child abuse, they both end up in pretty bad shape. I can assure you that they both end up in care and survive, the next chapter is all about the after affects and that point. PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION, ALL OF THIS CHAPTER IS ANGST!**

* * *

 **There was never a time that he could remember where his mother was quiet, she refused to keep her mouth shut even in her sleep.** She would always be yelling about something that needed to be cleaned, humming as she blasted someone's name or portrait. But when they flooed into Platform 9¾ there was only the click of her heels as she strode through parting crowds, only pointing at the dark hair that came off the train and disappeared. When his brother arrived at his side, he realized there was nothing he could say to change what was going to happen when he got home, there was nothing he could say to get Sirius to run away before anything happened.

"You're already in the shit house, don't want to keep them waiting and pile on to your own suffering." Growing up in the Black family made Regulus a very morbid nine year old. But who could blame him?

Sirius whacked him upside the head and strode forward like he was Auror walking into battle. "You should watch your language or mother is going to turn her eyes on you when I'm gone. She's hasn't yet, has she?" It was a quip, a snide comment for any passerby to hear so they wouldn't give a second glance to the two making their way to the fires alone. But to Regulus, he could see the fear in his brother's eyes that wasn't solely for himself.

With a shake of his head, the fear was gone. "You know father tried to calm her by saying at least you weren't a stupid Hufflepuff, maybe you could get hidden away because you were in _that house_."

"I bet mother had a great laugh about that and made some comment about how at the very least if I was a Hufflepuff I'd be away from Potter." The silence was answer enough, only broken as the green flames rose to take them home. 12 Grimmauld Place, never called home by any wizard or witch who was sound of mind. So naturally, his mother was very keen on calling it that.

* * *

It was no surprise that Kreacher was quiet when he stepped out of the fireplace to dust himself off, he was always around when something bad was going to happen and this time was no different. If he spoke, mother would notice him and yell for him to go to his room. Regulus felt like a house elf in that way. It wasn't all that different from the way she treated her sons. He crept quietly over to a chair so he could witness what was about to happen.

Sirius was frozen in the middle of the visitor's room, hidden away from any windows and in the right spot that she would know if anyone came in. She had most likely used some sort of bonding spell that would have left him incapable of fight back or even answering her. If she asked any questions. It was more studying than anything else, her taking in the changes of the boy in front of her. She started with something simple, something that would have seemed almost normal if there was such a thing in their house, "You let your hair grow too long, We'll have to cut it immediately." A flick of her wrist and there was only an inch left to tell you what color it was, the strands floating down to his shoulders and to pile up at his feet. " You know I knew that that Potter boy didn't keep his appearance, but I thought at the very _least_ you'd look like a Black."

There was only a glint of gold as their father passed by the room, eyes disapproving of both sons for their foolish behavior. He continued on, blanding in with the shadows as they greeted him. It was too much to ask for him to care enough to even watch or _acknowledge_ what was about to happen.

"Now tell me...why were you placed in the most horrible house in Hogwarts? What did the hat see to place you there, instead of your birthright?" The question was rhetorical of course, but silence would only fuel her rage. The only way to soothe her was to let her walk all over you. "Be quiet, you're snivelling excuses don't matter because I know the truth. You're weak, he figured it would give you enough of a backbone that you won't shrivel up into a worthless shell like your cousins. Andromeda? Do you want to end up like that cow, who just grazes by and lets the world milk her of her magic?" _Lies_.

Sirius' could control his tongue but he had a hard time schooling his face. He was out of practice. "At least then I would be useful to someone, mother." If it wasn't sarcastic, she might have let it slide.

His screams echoed in the empty house, ringing through the halls like they wanted to be heard long after he had slumped back into his spot on the floor. "It will bid you well to leave the room Regulus, I have tolerated both of you long enough." A dismissive hand and his feet were moving without his consent, all the way to the doorway where he had only a second to look back. Walburga Black was a clinical woman, she looked at problems or objects in her way and she meticulously destroyed them. Sirius, her _eldest_ son, was just a problem.

"Father, he could be useful to us! Like a spy, let us know what the others know about our plans! What their plans are!" His only response was the jolting feeling of apparition before being thrown into his room, his feet catching on the carpet before his back hit a trunk.

A shadow in the doorway glared at him as if he was something hard to swallow that was forced down his father's throat. "You would do well to stay out of the family matters, you are not even the heir so why should it matter to you what happens to the boy? Empathy and family are things that foolish wizards trip over and those who are great step on to climb to better opportunities. Blood is all that matters as Sirius will soon learn if he values his hide." There was no anger in his voice, it was like a flowing river of calm. But Regulus was not fooled, he knew that if he fell in he would be frozen and his body ripped apart by the rocks that lay beneath. A proper Slytherin with self preservation, he held his tongue.

The silence was maddening, he could see the silencing charms placed around his room to keep him isolated from what was happening outside his door. The dark tendrils mixed with the whispers of what could be happening down there and Regulus could do nothing to block any of it out. Silence, he decided, was worse than the screaming.

* * *

When the door finally opened the next day, there was no one waiting on the other side. Tentative hands released themselves from red ears, rocking slowly ceased as he stood to analyze the possible escape he was being offered. A trick? He checked for magic but it seemed besides the opening charm there was nothing. Quiet footsteps led down the stairs to the kitchen where he grabbed some food before climbing up the stairs like a dog, glad he had remembered to wear socks. Regulus was not a fool, he knew that his parents would not let him out just to allow him to trample around the house. If he so much as made the floorboards creak, they would hex him and lock him up again.

"Sirius?" It was a quiet whisper as he stared at the open doorway of his brother's old room. All of the removable items had been trashed, posters laughing at the mess that they would never be apart of with a permanent sticking charm holding them in place.

"Master Sirius left, he has. Mistress Black kicked rubbish out the door, a strong pureblood she is. Master Regulus should go to his room, Kreacher can smell his food. Mistress will not be happy if she catches them, no she will not." The house elf popped away as he slid the rest of the way to his room, hiding behind the now closed door again. With how much he had suffered in there, it was hard to understand why he felt such comfort in finally being back in his room. At least for most outsiders, Sirius' would have understood. He was the one who taught him how to get around the house without getting noticed.

* * *

 **The physical pain wasn't a problem, that was something he could deal with in whatever form his mother threw at him.** Growing up with the Blacks and having James Potter as a brother was not without its fair share of bruises from rough housing, falling off of brooms and "tripping on the stairs". He could handle every bruise, every broken bone and ever scar that faded away with his mother's talented wand work.

"Sirius, I want you to understand the situation you're in. You are standing here in the Black Household as our eldest son, as a representation of blood purity. Gryffindor is not the only step you took to get here, but also your favoritism to that Potter boy outside of alliances. Your complete disregard for the betrothal we set up for you and your pension towards flirting around with mudbloods." Dark eyes analyzed every flinch, every twitch of his fingers towards his wand holster and the fear seeping past his walls.

In. Out. Speak. "Mother, I can assure you that I had no choice in my house but I do have a choice in the _kind_ I associate with. If Potter wants to make a fool of himself in front of the school chasing some muggle borns skirt like a dog, who am I to stop him?" Maybe if he was smart, he would have stopped there. But eleven year old boys looking into eyes that hold no love are not smart. They are just afraid. "You are a fool if you think I don't hold myself to the standards of this family, even if the people I push into their own mistakes don't share the same commitment."

But Walburga Black was not a fool. So it wasn't Cruciatus that she used that day, she didn't want to hear him scream. She wanted him to obey. "I will tell you one last time. Swear loyalty to our Lord Voldemort or be treated as if you were never born of this family."

"Maybe if I was born to a muggle family, I'd have a better life than this." As many walls as an eleven year old can build, they can always be broken down by late hours spent being told of their worthlessness. By the glare of a mother who created you and made sure you were perfect and is still disappointed. That was his mistake, to bring them up as if he was saying "if I was born to the Potter Family". Muggles were not on their level, they were lowly scavengers scrounging for sex and blood, money drained away by materials that won't even last. They had no magic, no purpose but to destroy and breed and muddy bloodlines.

" _Imperio._ " It was like his spirit left his body and he was forced to watch what it did, ridgid back and a polite icy air that he had never held. "Lord, may you please bring in Regulus?" He was forced to watch as his father dragged in the one person he always tried to protect, always tried to keep the attention off of with his wild inhibitions. She smiled at her favorite son, gasping as Sirius' wand was raised in her direction. "I said you had to learn the spells, not use them on me! You need a better target."

"Of course mother, you are correct." He wanted to close his eyes when the wand shifted to the newcomer, he wanted to scream at one of his only friends before school to get away. Or to tell him Mother had him under a curse. But he had to sit there and watch as his magic surrounded the only family he recognized and listened to the screams that came out of his mouth. He was only a child. They were both only children, but Sirius had grown up more than most teenagers. At least in that house. In that house, there was no childhood. There was no brother.


	8. Of Figgs, Squibs and Odds

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

* * *

 **It was probably best for the group to apparate in instead of just appearing in the middle of the street on brooms or into the backyard as a whole.** The neighbors would have had a field day trying to come up with a reasonable explanation, most likely writing it off as just the normal weirdness of the Evans household. Being the first ones to arrive at the house, there was a screech of surprise as a woman who looked exactly like Lily fell onto the couch. "They really do pop in, don't they?"

Venus couldn't contain herself as she started giggling behind her hand and avoided her brother's pestering for her to be polite. "I apologize for my behavior, I am not laughing at your fall but your words." It was a formal type of talking that protected her from any sort of judgment bestowed upon her by new people because it meant they were the ones who were on a lower road than she. Not that she expected anything bad to come from her time with her friend's family, but one could never be too careful.

"Step off it." A hand tapped her cheek gently in warning as she glided across the floor to say hello to Lily's parents, ever wearing that signature Aphrodite smile. "My name is Aphrodite and I'm a Ravenclaw, this is my twin sister Venus who is ever the Slytherin. We appreciate your hospitality."

The girls ran off together as Eros and the adults talked logistics, so they could figure out more important stuff. "But I want the mattress!" If there was one thing that was more dramatic than truth or dare where you find out two of you like the same person or that the girl next to you has never been kissed, it's sleeping arrangements. Which would have gone fine if they did it when everyone was there. But as each girl was added, they had to change it all over again. It was chaos in a nutshell. Venus had left to get some water after Alice shoved Lily but was completely unprepared for what she walked into, or what smacked her in the face. "I'm so sorry!"

The pillow fell to the floor in the most cartoonish way possible. "What did I just walk into?" An actual sleepover.

* * *

To say they got settled wouldn't be quite the right answer, all of the girls had worn themselves out with the pillow fight that took out two tables and gave Kaylie a black eye. The ice pack that was quickly stuck to her face by Lily's mother was passed around in wonder, most small injuries were almost always instantly healed in the magic world by a healer or a parent who knew basics. "I don't know how muggles do it, you get hurt so easily but it takes _forever_ for you to heal."

"That just means we know how to protect ourselves without wands. I can tell you right now that if I saw a wizard pulling out his wand to hurt my daughter, I'd knock him flat on his…" Mr. Evans coughed while Lily's mother looked rather sheepish. "What I mean is, I think we can handle ourselves quite well. It just makes us tougher, though magic would do wonders for extreme injuries."

"I KNOW HOW TO REGROW BONE!" "I know how to fix the tables!" Lily just rolled her eyes while the listed off all the things they knew how to do. "Well guess what I know how to do?" All eyes were suddenly on the red head and she turned a color to put the strands to shame. "I can sew, I can punch, I can do maths and I know how plants grow and…" As she listed off all of the muggle things she knew how to do, Venus felt better about her place. The whole time it was like walking on eggshells because she didn't want to be too much of a Slytherin, but now the purebloods looked as confused as she was.

"Why don't we learn some of that stuff? It could be a fun sleepover activity." And after three hours of pizza and take out and butterbeer and textbooks that were wrinkled by the time they were done, no one felt out of place anymore.

* * *

 **The girls were more than he could have ever asked for, better than all the friends he came up with during the days of recovery where he was feverish and weak.** Remus had never laughed so hard in his life when Kaylie and Dua screamed because the telephone rang, Lily racing to answer it. "Yes Mrs. Figg, we have guests over. Sure, if your daughter wants to bring it by I'd love to introduce her." When she hung the phone back up, she sighed. "I love that old lady, I really do, but she's such a nutcase. At least her daughter is friendly and only half as strange."

"What were you talking to?" It seemed to surprise the girls that Remus knew so much about telephones as he went on to explain what they were and how they worked. Which lead into a lot of other conversations about technology and other such things. The two girls had been invited because it was rude not to, but now they were sheepishly apologizing to Lily for the way they acted. "If we knew how different your world was, we wouldn't have made you feel so stupid! We thought it was only magic that you lot didn't have, but it seems everything's different!" It wasn't the nicest apology or the start of a great friendship, but at the very least it made them all laugh and get comfortable in the greeting room to wait for Mrs. Figgs daughter to arrive. "We know you said her Mum's a loony, but what's her daughter like? What's she bringing?"

"Oh shove off it, Mrs. Figg sound like a nice lady. You should respect people more." Padma crossed her arms and pouted, racing off to answer the door when a knock interrupted the snappy remarks aimed in her direction. "Are you the neighbor?"

The girl in the doorway wasn't much taller than them, though it was very clear that she was an adult if the pregnant belly protruding out at them had anything to say about it. "I don't know if I've meet anyone named 'the neighbor', that would seem quite rude. Even a half-blood should know that." If the chatters about the person in the doorway had quieted when she arrived, they were dead as Avada Kedavra victims when she made that statement. "What, never seen a pregnant girl before?"

* * *

"So let me get my head on straight, Mrs. Figg is a squib? Which means a magical blooded person without magic. And you graduated Hogwarts the year before we went off to school?" So far all of that was very obvious but it seemed like Lily was a broken record with what was happening. "All this time you knew magic, and you didn't say anything? Why? I don't understand."

As there was nothing more interesting to a group of pre teen girls than a bit of gossip especially when they weren't personally involved in it, they had all made a circle around the new arrival, who had finally introduced herself as Miranda Figg, when she sat down. They looked like children watching an interesting show on the tellie. Remus on the other had was only half listening as he read one of Lily's books in her father's arm chair, enjoying the new characters as he was never allowed to read muggle books with magic in them. His father thought they were rubbish, which was true mind you, but more entertaining than some silly boy talk.

"So when my mother found out I inherited her family's magic, she kicked him straight out of the house and set us up here. Not long after I started seeing you show the same signs, troublemaker you were in those woods. But you've met my mother, as much as she loves people, she's as trusting as Alastor Moody with some in snake's clothing."

Miranda might have only been nineteen but she was already stronger than most of the men Remus' father worked with. Her mother was a paranoid squib in a muggle town while people who ran around torturing people like her neighbors ran wild. And yet Miranda still went to her job everyday with her head high. Or at least, she went to her job everyday from what Remus had heard and he imagined her holding her head high. "This baby is going to grow up in a world where magic folk like Tom Riddle exist and where Muggles burn down anyone they don't like. Someone's got to put pants on, even if I can't see my legs anymore."

All the girls giggled while Remus stuck his nose back in his book.

* * *

It was about Three AM when Remus woke up for that day, his head feeling like the wolf was clawing at the inside of his skull to get out. He was alone in the front room because the Evan's had politely asked him when his parents were picking him up again, Lily glaring at them and making it very clear that Remus was staying no matter what. He was the one who suggested the sleeping arrangement, but he was regretting it. A wolf isn't meant to stray far from his pack.

He got up to grab some water and check to make sure the girls were okay where they were, even though he knew they had no reason not to be, but was stopped short when he glanced at the foggy windows besides the front door. Blood dripped like some cheap horror stories waterfall, a body leaning against it and slipping gently down. A drowned one. His scream would have gotten the police called on them, if not for worry than a noise complaint "Officer, it's three AM and this little boy is screaming about a murder!", if he hadn't shoved it down. He was glad for his control when the knocking started, pounding fists that seemed too tall to be friendly. Control was good. But Remus Lupin was an eleven year old boy with a bloody body leaning against his friends house in the middle of the night, he was alone and suddenly someone was knocking on the door. So he did the natural thing and screamed his head off, sprinting to where the girls were and waking them all up if they weren't already.

"What the fuck, Remus?" He wasn't sure who said it, but when the pounding started again they shut up. Wands were drawn, Mr. Evans ran down the stairs with a gun. It all happened so fast one everyone else was awake, bodies clumped together in the dark and yelling. So much yelling.

And then the world stopped all at one when the porch light was on and they saw who was on it. James was drenching in mud and caked blood, tears streaming down his face as he tried to prop up the dead man beside him. "Took you long enough, he needs a healer." _A dead man?_ "But when James collapsed into Mr. Evans arms, the boy flipped over and they could see his face.

Aphrodite screamed again, holding her head tightly as she started rocking. "What did they do?! Why would they do that? Sirius!" Sirius Black was the dead man on Lily Evans porch. What were the odds?


	9. The Heir to House of Black

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

 **He was the son of an Ancient and Noble family, his last name carried more weight to it than most Wizards' vaults.** And yet Sirius had never felt loved until he got cursed so badly he ended up at St. Mungo's, even after some witch he had never me before started swearing under her breath and fixing him up. "Her name was Miranda, Sirius. I would have thought you remembered every pretty girl you saw."

"Well considering how many of them I was surrounded by when I woke up, you can't really blame me for not singling her out." He crossed his arms and stuck out his lower lip, only breaking the facade when Lily hugged him.

The red head felt like she was responsible for not getting him help faster, no matter what he said to her. "You are going to get into so much trouble when you get older, Sirius Black. Just make sure you let me in on it so you don't end up here again." Lily walked out on her toes to find her parents, or was it the Potters who had let her in? They hadn't left since his admittance two days before.

Speaking of, James was suddenly at the foot of his bed with candy he had smuggled in past the nurses. "Want to see what the worst flavor we can find is? My dad says that there's a cat's hairball one in here but I don't know if I trust him."

"If you aren't able to trust your own father, it seems like all you've got left is red heads who punch you every time you open your mouth and a best friend who is _waaayyy_ too cool…" For the worst split second of his life, Sirius thought that James had grabbed the pillow to smother him. He was simply whacked in the face with it which is really all you can ask for from a boy you just insulted. "Fine, fine, fine. I'm not _that_ much cooler than you." They both ended up laughing, a wayward Every Flavored Bean hitting James right between the eyes.

"Behave you two or I'll tell McGonagall." The one person who actually made those two behave was their head of house, and Euphemia Potter knew it just as well as they did. She was also not the type of woman to make idle threats, bringing ever punishment into fruition if they pushed her.

Sirius went to throw up his hand to fake a dramatic fainting when shooting pains spread out their his fingertips and he almost blacked out from the dizziness. "What's wrong with me? I thought you said they healed everything."

After hearing the extent of the damage his parents had laid on him, Sirius didn't feel like taking visitors. Even after making that clear, Remus and Peter were brought in by Peter's mother who fussed over the three of them like they were all affected by "this horrid, despicable tragedy that no child should have to go through, I would have their heads if I wasn't busy with that report, I'll leave you two to it" before bustling out of the room. "I'm sorry about my mother, she does tend to be a bit much where kids are concerned. She needs to keep up appearances and all."

"I don't know how you put up with her fussing and then disappearing on you all the time, it would drive me mad. At least I know where my parents are so I can avoid them, you mum will just pop up anywhere!" Remus collapsed into a chair in the corner, trying to participate before promptly snoring lightly.

He tried to be upset but it seemed one of his best friends needed the sleep more than Sirius needed the attention. "Do you think he'll wake up when the howler comes to disown me or he'll sleep right through it?" Peter threw a pillow at him, declaring it unfitting of an heir to act in that manor. He would have laughed, but both of what they said was true. Until he got the letter, he was an heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black. This would be all over the Prophet by morning.

* * *

His last visitors came towards the end of his treatment, throwing themselves at him with tears streaming down their cheeks and swears rolling off their tongues faster than he could understand. Sirius barely had enough time to register who was hugging him before they buried their faces into his pillows. "You girls are going to die if you continue to do that, you know no one can survive without seeing my gorgeous face every five minutes."

"We want to die, then we won't have to see you." Even muffled, it was extremely creepy when the twins spoke in unison. Venus was the first to rise, wiping at her eyes and making a big show of blowing her nose in his direction even though there was a Kleenex between them. Aphrodite followed suit, disappearing to wash her face in the lavatory attached to his room. They kept up a sort of tea conversation, unable to think of anything to say. Venus and Sirius were never the closest of friends, their personalities clashed too much for a healthy relationship to be sustained. When Aphrodite returned, the atmosphere returned to normal. "I appreciate you two trying to be friendly, understand this is a bit awkward."

"What's more awkward is that you rubbed your boogey's all over me, dis _gusting_!" He laughed as both girls whacked him lightly with a pillow. "Unhand me foul beasts, I am a noble born son! Unhand me I said!"

All of the laughter died as if a silencing spell had been thrown on the room, three sets of eyes falling on the silhouette in the doorway. You had to hand it to the Black Family, they knew how to make an entrance.

* * *

 **Eros was the eldest of the Williams siblings and had held custody of them all since he came of age.** There was nothing that he let get in his way, not laws or bigots. He studied loopholes in what the opposing side would throw at him, knew every path and what would get him what he wanted with the most gain. The Sorting Hat struggled with where to place him almost as much as Peter Pettigrew who replaced him for the longest Hat Stall. So when he heard about what had happened to Sirius Black, Heir to the Ancient and Noble house of Black, he got to work.

"You must be Aphrodite's Guardian, Eros Williams correct?" A hand was between him and the papers in front of him. Fleamont Potter shared the ever present windswept hair with his son and eyes that made you feel like you were standing on the lip of stairs, unsure if they were going to give out beneath you.

"Yes, Lord Potter." He quickly rose to his feet to shake the man's hand, Eros feeling like he was going to throw up depending on the way this introduction went. "My charges are with Sirius now, they had hoped to lift his mood and understand that he was being taken care of. They know that St. Mungo's is one of the best with care, but you know girls. They don't believe it until they see it for themselves."

When Lord Potter laughed, Eros relaxed considerably. "That I do. May I introduce my wife, Lady Euphemia Potter. We are both grateful for your support of our boys in this trying time." After properly greeting Lady Potter with a kiss on the hand, Eros looked up in surprise. "Yes, Sirius is considered one of our sons no matter who he was born to and shall remain that way until we have long passed."

Say what you will about Ravenclaws, but they can catch opportunity faster than a seeker with a slow snitch.

* * *

 **When his mother had appeared in the doorway, Venus looked like she wanted to slip through the floor and Aphrodite had immediately grabbed his hand as if she could save him from what was coming.** "Hello Mother, I wasn't expecting you to visit me. Does Father know you're here?"

There was a tingling in his feet before he couldn't feel them anymore, and he knew he would have to get the nurse to return blood flow before they fell off. "Lord Black asked me to inquire your health and instruct you not to besmirch the family name." Walburga was ever the image of pristine confidence, her eyes never leaving their target even when Venus stepped out of the room. "For instance, making sure you stay true to your betrothal."

"Am I still to marry Alecto Carrow? You know my concerns about who would truly be the father of any children we'd have." If she could get away with smacking him, Sirius knew his mother would have right then and there.

Before his mother could get control of herself, a group of people joined the party in his medical room, one of them looking like he wanted to go to Azkaban. "You are not welcome here, Lady Walburga Black." Eros had his arms crossed over his chest, trying to make himself look like the most important person in the room. "You know I'm sure the other members of the Wizengamot would love to hear how you almost killed your own heir. Even if they don't take the testimony of muggleborns or half-bloods, there were at least three Purebloods who would happily join the stand."

"You are out of line, Mr. Williams. I suggest you take your charges and go home, we understand that this is a stressful situation and any words of disrespect were out of misplaced worry for Sirius. I will gladly escort you out." Euphemia grabbed his arm in what looked like a painful grip, giving him a warning glare. "Good day, Lady Black."

"And to you, Lady Potter." As soon as the two adults were gone, the twins whispered their goodbyes from the doorway. It was clear they weren't welcome anymore. When they were out of hearing range, Walburga stuck out her hand to greet Lord Potter. "I hope the day finds you well, Lord Potter, I must admit to being flustered after such an outburst."

"It was rather irrational on his part, though he means well for the boy. But as a half-blood, he does not understand that an Heir must hold himself to a higher standard than everyone else around him. Sirius was taught a lesson, though rather overpowered it would seem, and as such will most definitely change what he can about what has occurred." Sirius might have been young, but he understood the politics language. Lord Fleamont Potter and his wife had just laid a balm against any retributions against the Williams family while showing their distaste for the punishment she had administered in a respectful way. "It would seem that James and your son rile each other up as it were, unaware of the punishment the other receives. Perhaps it would beneficial to have them in the same house so they may share in retribution as they do in everything else."

"You would take the boy into your care? I must say I was hesitant to allow their friendship to continue as it was, though hearing your reasoning has lessened some of that worry. I will consult with my husband after you inform me of what you suggest." If there was even a hint of getting rid of Sirius without causing a scene for the public to see, his mother would take it and harvest every benefit she could.

"A blood contract signing over custody of your heir to us until he comes of age, though you would not disown him. Punishment, permission slips and other minor legality items would be our decision alone. Anything of higher influence, such as betrothal contracts and event invitations would be run by and represented by you."

After the contract was signed with blood quills, Sirius was allowed to pack up all of his items at home while his new mum and mother conversed in the hallway. He eagerly filled his trunk with all of his robes, shoes and Quidditch paraphernalia. His owl was still perched in her cage, glaring out at him as if he was planning to leave without her. "Don't worry, you'll have a lot more room to fly where we're going. They have over ten acre for you to explore and hunt on."

"I hope you don't get lost while you're there." Regulus was a shadow in the doorway, having perfected their fathers' flair for the dramatics even at the age of nine. "It would be a shame for the pride and joy of the Black house to officially go wild."

"Shove off it, you know I have a better sense of direction than you." He opened his arms just as his younger brother threw himself into them, shaking with the force of keeping face. "Make sure you don't come in my room while I'm gone, I'll know if you've touched anything. I might be the heir but you're the _little_ baby of the family and no one wants to see you repeat my mistakes," was said for the listening ears behind the door. To the only two that mattered, he pulled away and bent down. "I love you and I'll try to get you away as well if I can. Did you hear what they did to me?" When his brother shook his head, Sirius had to hold back a sigh of relief as all of his anguish washed away with dried tears. "Good. Don't let them talk you into anything, you'll be in Slytherin for sure which isn't that bad. I got a friend that's one and she'll take care of you when you get to Hogwarts. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"Well if I do anything stupid, we'll know where I learned it from." Regulus pretended to stomp out of the room, his tiny hands wiping at eyes that were too old for him.

* * *

Visitation from friends was back in full as each of them wished to inquire about what had gone down at the hospital. After learning how it was Eros' idea, he had thanked him profusely. "I knew they would take offense even if Lord Potter suggested it, but after my outburst it showed what the public would react like so she was quick to agree to something more beneficial. We planned it in the hallway while I waited for the girls, but I didn't think I'd have to do it right then! I felt like my first time playing Quidditch when my girlfriend hit me with a bludger."

"You deserved it though, you told her that she was holding the bat wrong!" They all laughed at the image before heading into the dinning room for dinner. Lily was being dropped off soon by her parents so Sirius decided to wait by the door.

To his surprise, it was actually a greasy haired git that appeared on the steps with a box of some sort in his hands. He quickly left the box before disappearing in the shadows. Sirius quickly ran out to see what Snivellus had left them, hoping it wasn't retribution for Lily after what happened on the train. On inspection, he soon came to realize that that they were neatly labeled healing potions specific to what the healers had told the Potter's he required for the rest of his recovery. "Why would he do that?" He just shrugged and brought them in, deciding he wouldn't mention it in case it was a ploy to get Lily to forgive him. No one was going to hurt his friends, no matter how hard she hit him.


	10. Magical Travels and Hoodwinked Sisters

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

* * *

 **She truthfully believed that there would never be a time that she got used to Hogsmeade.** It didn't matter if walked through the Leaky Tavern a hundred, thousand, times. She would gape and laugh, hopping from cobblestone to original cobblestone, as her friends rolled their eyes behind her. "Lily Evans, you're making a fool of yourself!"

She ignored her best friend, no matter how many times Remus called after her jokingly, simply giggling her way through the crowd. "Butterbeers, Fizzle Pop, Lemon Drops and Poppy. I want to try them all today or I will feel something floppy. A broom, a snitch, and even a bludger too. Quidditch is easy to do!" Lily hummed the other jingles they had made up on their way from her house as she climbed the steps to the Joke Shop. "Hello Zonko, what do you have for me today?"

"A sense of pride, a lion's pride!" Zonko ignored Alice's mocking tone as she roared and talked about how Lily was truly a snake if anyone paid close enough attention. "You never know what someone is my dear, not until you know their darkest secret. Or prank with them!"

"Sir, friends don't care about dark secrets. I'm guessing you wouldn't know about that though." Aphrodite laughed as a dung bomb was chucked at her from the back room, still giggling as she erupted a shield charm to make sure she wasn't affected. "You know I'm joking Zonks, leave me alone!" She hopped down the steps when they were kicked out, being told in a serious tone that if they broke one of his products again he would make them pay for it. The wink he shot them was easy to catch and none of them had any worry.

"Where you serious about dark secrets? What if one of us was something awful?" There was a worried whisper like even the smallest mistake would ruin their view of him forever, but Lily simply grabbed Remus' hand and started swinging them between the pair.

" _Of course_ we don't care about dark secrets. Unless your a bigot or a blood purist or something, why should we care about that stuff? We're friends, it's that simple." And for her, it was. If Venus was a Slytherin, good on her for having such strong ambitions. Lily could almost see her being Minister someday. If Aphrodite was a bit odd, who cared? Some of what she talked about sounded really exciting and maybe they would try it someday. Not to mention the fact that Sirius Black was like her annoying brother, the one thought to be the biggest arse in their year until he bought all of the girls in their year treats for Valentine's day so they wouldn't feel left out. "You don't have to worry about losing us, Lupin. You just need to make sure you get rid of us."

"How could I ever?" She was proud to say that his smile didn't disappear all day.

* * *

"It looks like the only _new_ book we need is the one for second year Charms but that just seems silly. Maybe we should get books for the electives next year and see which ones interest us most? That way we'll already have a good understanding of it and we won't be choosing blindly." Though most of them agreed with her, n one was excited about spending extra money on books.

"What if we just buy one each and we rotate which house it's in? I'm guessing no one wants to take divination, so it should work out fine." Since everyone agreed with Alice, they pooled together their book money to get the extra texts to brush over throughout the year.

When they had Ancient Runes Made Easy by Laurenzoo, New Theory of Numerology by Lukas Karuzos, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander and each had their own copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, they went up to the counter to pay. Seeing the large group of students in Flourish and Blotts, the poor man behind the counter paled even more than his natural coloring. "Is this all together?" Taking pity on him, they each brought out the money for their books at once and handed it over so he could do one transaction then hurry them out.

Frank groaned from the weight of all his required materials, annoyed that he had to deal with it all. "Why can't we use the featherlight charm? We're in Diagon Alley, no one would care!" He sighed before noticing his mother walk over to check on them, quickly shutting his mouth.

Augusta Longbottom stood tall among the other street goers and didn't even need to speak for them to part for her. "Good for you all on getting all of your Hogwarts materials before going off to the closest broom shop. I saw a few parents trying to wrangle their kids away and I thought, _I raised my boy better than that_ and there I am proved right again." No one mentioned that Frank didn't have a pension for flying and was quite clumsy, refusing to fly after their first year lessons. "You can run along and get yourselves some lunch now, but don't go filling up on sweets. Florean Fortescue and Tom at the Leaky Cauldron know me very well, so don't think I won't find out. Alright. Off you pop."

They headed to the Leaky Cauldron to be safe.

* * *

"THIS IS WHY EVERYONE WANTS TO GO TO HOGSMEADE?" She tried to keep her voice down, she really did, but after her first tentative sip of Butterbeer she was amazed and could not be stopped. Lily Evans was officially hooked.

Her friends could not stop giggling no matter how much they tried to smother it while the other patrons glared. It was less a muggle thing and more a _why are you interrupting my lunch?_ thing. "You need to keep your voice down or we're going to get kicked out of here faster than you can say wicked." They quickly sombered up, stuffing their faces with the best they could get. Chips were passed around, bites stolen from each other's plates. It was like a family dinner.

"I'll be sad to have missed these when we're older, it always feels like the first time." Glazed eyes looked back at her before glaring at something entering, black eyes all of a sudden making their target feel like they were staring at the tip of an obsidian sword. "He's going to ruin it this time." Aphrodite went back to her food like nothing happened.

Lily turned around to see what she was talking about and was surprised to see James by himself. Sirius had said that he was being sent to St. Mungo's for a yearly check-up like in the muggle world, to make sure he was allowed to play Quidditch when they went back to school. "I didn't know you'd be coming to Diagon Alley, we thought you were too busy." She didn't even care enough to make her tone lighter at this point, she simply said it blunt and clear.

"Don't you all know I'm perfect in every way?" The sarcasm caught her off guard enough that she didn't comment when he sat with her. "I'm good to play this year but she made a comment about how I'm not allowed to exert my magic too much. She insinuated I would cheat!"

The rest of the conversation seemed to be actually normal, so Lily happily participated in the debate over who was going to get on the teams. "Venus has to be the Slytherin seeker, she's wicked on a broom. Then maybe…'Dite, who do you think?" She turned to the Ravenclaw with raised eyebrows, trying to engage her in the conversation.

"You know she has no idea what she's talking about, when has she ever paid attention to anything?" Realizing that Lily was tensing with a flair of protective anger seemed to encourage him to continue. "In fact, I don't know that you should be talking about Quidditch either considering the fact that you can't even keep yourself on a broom. It might just be because you're a muggleborn but even half-bloods know to hold on tight to the handle." Lily thought maybe he'd changed over the summer, maybe almost losing his best friend, _his brother,_ would snap him out of it. But no, it just confirmed to everyone that James Potter gets exactly what he wants when he wants it.

"And even most purebloods know when to keep their mouths shut." If they weren't in public, Peter might have punched him. "You aren't welcome at this table anymore, get away from her." Even though she knew that the four boys were inseparable at school, Lily blushed lightly over being protected.

When James went to protest, Sirius grabbed his arm and dragged him away from them. "We'll see you on the train. Or at the very least, I will." The fact that all James could give was the very least went unsaid,

* * *

 **Petunia Evans was a proper lady when she wanted to be and all she could do to hold it together when her sister was gone, because only messy girls cry, was write letters.** Ones to Lily she would never send, ones that made her kneel before her bed when her parents where sleeping and ask God to give her courage.

 _Dear Mr. Headmaster Dumbledore,_

 _I apologise for not having enough knowledge to address you properly. My mother always says to address a man by Mr. or sir but I think Mr. Headmaster sounds better than Sir Headmaster. More modern, wouldn't you think?_

 _I'm stalling._

 _You see my question is of the utmost embarrassment you see because I should agree that your judgment is truth as my sister Lily does. But I must beg you to reconsider my ability to go to Hogwarts. I might not be as strong as Lily, but I know I have magic. I've never failed a test even when I didn't study, I've never gotten scrapes or ripped my clothes when I went through the woods._

 _I hope you reconsider though I understand if it's final._

 _Thank you for your time,_

 _Petunia Evans_

"Mother, how do I send a letter to Hogwarts?"

* * *

Sobs were silenced as Petunia shoved her face into her pillow, hiding under her bed because that was also a great sound barrier. She had gotten her wish, a reply from Dumbledore. She hated the man and all the magic that came with him.

 _Dear Petunia Evans,_

 _Questioning one of the greatestest wizards of all time is a bit of a fools game. I didn't think of you as a fool until I received your letter. I struggled with how to respond because of this, but I see this to be the best fit and put in simple terms._

 _I am Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin (first class), Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot._

 _I know magic potential when I see it and though I so see magic in you, there is nothing I want less than to admit you to my school. You my dear, are just not worth the expense._

 _Please remember your place next time._

 _My regards to the parents who have to deal with you,_

 _Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin (first class), Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot_

If that man thought he could insult her, he was wrong. Petunia picked herself up after her hour of crying was over and she was out from under the bed. If he didn't want her, he didn't get Lily. But when she told her parents what had happened, they simply yelled and sent her to her room. Lily didn't believe her and refused to speak to her even when she was home. Apparently her place was to be the quiet daughter who never left her room unless to do as she was told. So she stayed quiet and let others "guide" her.

* * *

 **AN: I am not really sure how I feel about this chapter so compliments and constructive criticism would be helpful!**


	11. Of Slytherin Preservation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. I only own the plot and a few characters I made up to help shape our heroes.**

 **Severus Snape was not the type to break the mold and isolate himself from his housemates because of what he believed it, if he was than the hat would have put him in Gryffindor.** No, he was a snake with too much self preservation for that. But he was also human and understood that he had made a mistake with his friend Lily. It only became more apparent when his friends caught him on the 9 ¾ platform.

Mulciber slung an arm heavily over Severus' shoulders, grinning sadistically also he gazed out at the first year muggleborns. "Aw, look at the lovies. Almost sweet enough to eat." When he bared his teeth, a few of the parents looked ready to turn around and bring their kids with them.

"Now, now, now. We let the fruit ripen before we enjoy it. Targets who never put up a fight aren't fun, we lie to break them in first." The two boys laughed at the horrified faces of those who overheard, their fathers wapping their heads to let them now this was not the place. Even if the older men agreed with the sentiment and would later boast to the Dark Lord how well they had groomed their sons to following in their footsteps. "What did you do this summer, Sever? Have any fun with that girl ah yours?"

"No, but I did have the immense pleasure of seeing Black limping into Potter Manor, licking his wounds." They might have been almost a year older than him but it was almost like they looked up to Severus because he never got in trouble for anything. He was smart and they were….not.

"Oh what I wouldn't give to have been you! I bet he was crying the whole time, bet they had to take him to the long term ward for spell damage before realizing that was just the way he was!" When Severus couldn't force himself to laugh, Avery nudged him with a pointed look but Mulciber just raised his hands. "Long term ward is for the crazies who were under the cruciatus curse too long, got a memory charm on them, lost too much blood and they have to keep 'um on supports. Almost lost their magic."

Taking the line that wasn't meant to have been thrown, he sighed. "My mum never told me the good stuff. I bet you two are going to send a few there some day, if they're lucky." Severus smirked while they high fived over his head but he was suddenly feeling sick.

* * *

Their compartment had getting a bit tight with all of the people in it, but was relieved that year with a smaller amount of members left. Lucius had his betrothed on his lap and kept teasing up her waist to get a laugh out of the others, offering her up if they wanted a turn. Narcissa for her part was stoic and smiled when she had to, otherwise the perfect doll for her betrothed to play with. Severus could almost see her thinking, _one more year, one more year_ over and over again in her head, as he was graduating that year and she was the one after.

Evan Rosier's usual seat was taken by Wilkes, sprawled against the outside wall. "I heard that Potter had to carry him to the bathroom and hold him up!" He was a fourth year but he appeared to be as dumb as rocks, even though rocks have a use. But it was his favorite type of deception, making an opponent underestimate him.

"Severus here says he was licking his wounds almost a month after it happened!" Like a kid with a new toy, Avery jumped on the chance to get the older boys' attention. "He saw him get brought back to Potter's place with his tail between his legs and his thumb in his mouth."

Lucius raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow. "What was it then? Was he licking his wounds or sucking his thumb? If you think you can do both at the same time, you should show us right here and now." He was visibly hoping that Avery would be stupid enough to say he didn't have any wounds, but Lucius would end up disappointed. "What do you think, Narcissa? What do you think your dear cousin was doing?"

"I think he has his tongue too far up James Potter's arse to be able to do either of those things." Roaring laughter followed Severus out of the compartment as he excused himself to change his robes, surprised when Narcissa followed him. "When you see Sirius, can you tell him that I hope he's healed well? Even if my betrothed is too high to realize he should be respectful of an heir, I am not so blind. If my uncle dies than he will be the one to see that this union goes through, tell him I would happily follow his lead on that day if it does come." Narcissa continued down the train, leaving Severus running over her words in his head.

He was dragged from his thoughts by Remus who had apparently started guiding him to the apartment his friends were in. "You said you'd like to sit with us, were you really that spaced out?" He shook his head, shaggy hair reminding Severus of a dog he once saw. "Just apologize to Lily, alright?" That went without saying.

* * *

 **Lily Evans had lived in Cokeworth her whole life right down the way from Spinner's End, with only one other child besides her sister to play with as no one else wanted to bring a child into that area.** Everyone knew it was a large town located in the midlands of England, but it didn't feel large with all the tight buildings until you were walking home at night and slowly starting to realize you weren't anywhere near your house. It had several streets of identical brick, terraced, houses that loomed over you while you peered through the murky fog that seemed to be as ancient as the mill no one remembered using. Not even the old couple next door who seemed like they would have called Dumbledore 'son' if they ever met him. Even if the buildings weren't a issue, the only visual area to play was the river that looked like a giant had diarrhea in it, litter ankle deep making up the bank to the point where she didn't even know if there was sand or rock or just more trash underneath.

But one good thing about it was her best friend Severus. When she had to cut ties with him because of his interest in darker arts and blatant disrespect of other muggle borns, she had constantly felt like she was going to throw up.

Even with all of that being true, she wasn't ready to just let him waltz back into her life. "I understand that what I said was not something I should have even thought of. Not just because it hurt you, but because that way of thinking is exactly what I made fun of your sister for. Thinking your better than someone else because of one difference, in my case blood. My friend...associates, were too extreme and they wouldn't have had my back like you do. I need to be more accepting of people instead of feeling superior." Severus looked so ashamed she just wanted to hug him but she still wasn't sure. "I am still going to think some of the muggle borns are ridiculous and I'm not going to be all out supporter of you guys because I'll be slaughtered, but I'm not too deep for them to question me being neutral."

"I was really hurt with what you were saying and I couldn't understand how you could say those things about people like me. But hearing you say this makes me a feel a lot better. If you follow through and remain neutral this year, we can go back to the way things were. For right now, we can be on good terms." Lily kissed his cheek, laughing as she fell onto the compartment floor.

"I said friends not dating! Bleh, get away from me." Severus tried to wipe off his cheek with his sleeve but was smiling all the same. Neither of them liked when they were fighting and being on good terms again was a weight lifted off.

* * *

After having changed robes, she was passing an empty compartment when she overheard talking. Confused, Lily started to investigate and was not disappointed with her efforts. "No one is here, we're good." James threw off the invisibility cloak he just happened to have that sudden;y explained how he pulled some of the stunts he did. "Now what was so important that you made me bring this out and hide in an extra compartment?"

"Snape visited your house when I got out of St. Mungo's. Those healing potions I told your mum the house elves made for me? He left them on the porch. I think he knew that Lily was going to be there soon and he wanted her to see it so she forgave him. I brought them in before she saw it though." Sirius' forehead was wrinkled like he was actually worried for her because of her interactions with Severus. Thought that was ridiculous, she appreciated the sentiment. "Should we tell her?"

"No, of course not. If she doesn't know, he won't trick her into being friends again. He manipulates her so easily, I can't understand it. Think we should hex him a few times for what he did?" Lily was almost worried that James was going to be more trouble than Avery and Mulciber.

"No, he's tried to make it up to her and if he really has changed, we don't want to piss her off. Trust me, Evans is scarier than the two of us combined. She can take care of herself." And that was why she was friends with Sirius.


	12. Quintessential Chaos

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm so sorry these updates have come so late, I switched over to Archive of Our Own and almost forgot that I had stories on here. I promise I'll try to keep up with both. Also, I have seven new chapters to post so if you're reading this at the moment, give me a few minutes.**

 **To everyone else in the dining hall, it was a tradition that they just listened to with smiles and rolled eyes as the first years watched in wonder as the seam of the hat opened up and cleared it's airway.** But to a scattered few, they were listening. Hoping not to hear a warning or a prophecy of the man they never spoke of, who they didn't dare even say his name. When the hat started to sing, these scattered few bit their tongues and held their breath.

The melody was soft and quite, a tired old man retelling a tale long forgotten.

A seer with a smile,

A fighter with some charm.

A learner's resourcefulness,

A wit to disarm.

They came to together,

With a crash.

They built a school,

With a flash.

Magic in the air,

Jokes that were such fun.

But how to teach them,

When all is said and done?

Four houses were created,

To represent the few

Who had magic in their veins,

A comradery as glue.

The cats with their manes,

The birds with their voices,

The reptiles with their colors,

The badgers with their choices.

Seperate you are placed,

To give you an upraised chin.

But together you are family,

Connected by what lies within.

A hat that sings,

Teachers that ruin all your fun.

You think there is no more,

But the school year has just begun.

There was the ever present placating cheers of the houses with the polite clapping of the teachers. Lily on the other hand was tightening her grip on Peter's arm, the words running through her head at a million miles an hour. "Have you guys noticed a pattern in the songs? Is that normal? I mean last year it was about teaching us to be better because Gryffindor's tend to be arrogant and the other houses have their flaws too and this year it was all about coming together."

"You're overthinking it. The sorting hat just needs to sing and rhyme, it doesn't actually mean anything. Besides, that doesn't sound like a pattern to me." The newly appointed prefect was someone who loved to shove everyone else's noses in it. He was obsessed with house points, even the year before he liked to act as the perfect student.

"Shove it up your arse." Sirius called across the table just as one of the new first years went to sit down. It was startling to watch him suddenly transform into a friendly face, introducing himself and making jokes to help keep the poor child from running away screaming.

Lily caught Aphrodite's eyes across the room and started wiggling her brows, grinning over her friends blush. Even though they were just starting to grow into teenagers, Sirius had gained all of his pureblood charm. Was she worried about having to reel him back in? Yes. Was she going to use it to her best advantage at every opportunity? Also yes. "Leave the first years alone, Snuffles." She grinned evilly when his mask slipped for a second.

"James, how could you mate? Traitor!"

Waking up the next day was a struggle, she had almost forgotten how comfortable the beds were at Hogwarts. Or at least, it was a struggle until there was a dog pile on her bed of all of her mates. " _LIIIILLLYYYY!_ You have to get up or we're going to miss Quin trying to control all of the first years. His partner left him to deal with it after her called her a ditz cause she was exhausted last night."

She was already up and throwing on her robes when she heard "miss Quin", fussing with her mass of curls to try and get them out of her eyes. "Does anyone have any…?" Lily grinned as she threw some Sleekeazy's Hair Potion and Scalp Treatment into her hair, quickly casting the coloring charm to make it go back to normal. "Okay. Let's go."

"You've still go some spots, let me fix it." After the first time they tried the product on each other, the girls all quickly learned a coloring charm for hair, to correct any mistakes that might occur. "You do look good as a blond with blue lights though."

"And you looked good with pink hair, Dua, but I'm still going to fix your hair any time you ask." They stuck their tongues out at each other before racing down the steps to watch the growing chaos in the common room.


	13. The Secrets That Crush Us

**All of her life she has been overshadowed by her elder siblings, no one even really saw why she was because there was always Edgar with his Hufflepuff prefect badge or her sister with her perfect grades.** And even though she had never met her oldest brother, he still outshined them all with his important Ministry job.

But with her friends...she was right there in the thick of it. "Alice, what do _you_ think the boys do in that dormitory of theirs? I mean, Remus is a morning person and he always looks awful then so they must be coming up with some sort of scheme all through the night and keeping him awake. Has Frank ever said anything?" Lily nudged her while her eyebrows wiggled comically, grinning that Cheshire smile she loved to show off to make her friends uncomfortable.

" _Frank_ has only said that Remus gets really exhausted once a month and...it was like he was on his period or something." Alice's eyes widened as she realized that maybe their friend was born with ovaries instead of the other stuff and used magic to change his appearance to more fit who he was. "Oh my goodness, it makes so much sense! He's trans and he looks like that because let's be honest, two of us knows that that sucks and the other one is very lucky.."

"You know there is another option that's way less dramatic. He's a werewolf." Venus rolled her eyes as they both gasped, horrified at the thought. "Oh come on, it's not like he was raised in a pack that taught him to eat humans,"

"Why are those our only options? Aren't they both worst case scenario?" Good lord, Alice had almost forgotten Lily was a muggle born and didn't know how different the two worlds were in politics. Where the wizarding world failed in blood purity and prejudice, it excelled in acceptance of those who loved the same sex, loved more than one person at a time or were born in the wrong body.

"Lils, wizards and witches can be whoever they want to. If you want to marry a woman and you are a woman too, great. Earlier on it was only a problem to keep the family line, but now a days there are potions you can take. If someone was born in the wrong body, they take potions to correct it and when they're done growing, they can go to St. Mungo's to officially transition." As someone who's older brother was going through the same thing, Venus was more experienced in it than the other two. "Why do you think that not _all_ of the Pureblood families have died out?"

They fell into giggles as Lily sat there shocked, for the first time since they'd known her the red head was completely speechless.

 _You two might be right_. Lily sent the note to where Venus and Alice were paired for their project, turning her eyes back to where Remus was working on the finishing touches on the essay portion. "How do you know so much about Lunar Phases?"

He jumped slightly at the broken silence, rolling his eyes at her. "My dad researched Werewolves for a while and it was all he could talk about." Even though that was a valid excuse, it sounded way too prepared for her to believe it. Whenever Remus talked about his parents, he tended to get flustered like he was covering something up even though it was just what their names were or where he lived. The only time he was perfectly composed was when he was lying or had prepared what he was going to say and practiced it a million times before hand. "Alright, so I've got how it affects the first few on our list, do you want to switch so I can see what you did for the rest?"

Lily was smart enough to drop it even though she had to quell her anger over Venus's handwritten, _I told you so_.

The girls had started a mission to prove their theory on what was going on with Remus. Aphrodite had gotten herself involved because she was the most likely to not be questioned if she was found late at night wandering around the castle. Dumbledore had informed the staff that she tended to sleep walk and mutter dreamy prophecies that were likely to never come true. "Slughorn brought me to Madame Pomfrey because I told him that his cats would get sick if he didn't watch his spleen. And then the next day, he added powdered rat spleen to the wrong potion and all of the Gryffindors ended up throwing up because of the smell."

"I remember that! Slughorn gave them all E's to keep them from writing their parents." The girls had to quiet their giggling as the aforementioned victims entered the Great Hall, going back to their Defense books from the library.

"It says here that the week leading up to the full moon is when the wolf starts to wake within the victim, bringing on restless behavior and differing personality traits. These can include arrogance, new found athletic ability, the desire to find a mate," they all gagged when Alice read that line, "and aggression towards anyone who impeedes on his territory or pack."

"Well of course that explains why he gets so protective of Lily around this time, it's the only point he stands up to James because he sees you as a member of his pack." Aphrodite might have appeared to be in thought but her sister could tell that she was thoroughly enjoying the look on the aforementioned girl's face. "Of course he doesn't actually hurt James because he's in the group as well, he's just an annoying adolescent instead of a real threat. I looked up wolves once for a muggle project, they were quite interesting."

They quickly put away their books as they heard a teacher yelling. Meaning that the boys would soon be joining them. Sure enough, Sirius burst through the doors in a full set of dress robes, falling to his knees in front of McGonagall to produce a rose. "Forgive us please, I beg of you."

Remus and Peter soon followed but with all of the attention on Sirius, only a few noticed their entrance. And only one saw them mutter a quick spell aimed at the floor. After their task was done, both of them nonchalantly plopped themselves down for breakfast. "Morning ladies."

"You two are going to get them expelled if you don't rein them in a bit." Before Lily could berate them further, a broom zipped through the air as James came to follow in his best friends lead, joining their hands. "I swear if you roped some poor girl into crying about how one of them broke her heart for the other, I will make sure you are coughing up furballs for a week."

"Why would we ever do such a thing? Do you have so little faith in us?" Remus might have been convincing if only Peter wasn't stuffing his mouth with food to keep himself calm. "I promise you we didn't rope a single girl into this."

True to his word, it was a Slytherin seventh year, Lucius Malfoy, who burst in after them looking like he was about to demand their deaths. But as soon as he entered the hall, he was also dressed in new robes and begun to cry dramatically. "How dare you Potter steal my true love from me, you know I have been carrying this burdening affliction for so long it has overtaken me." Even through the tears you could see the anger in his eyes.

Venus's head whipped around to find Narcissa who was calmly eating her breakfast without a single care for her betrothed. If one looked closely enough, they might have seen finger prints on her wrists and a triumphant glint in her eyes at the scene. No matter what you could say about Sirius, he always protected those he loved.

 **Sirius was riding a high all throughout the weeks of his detention with Slughorn cleaning out cauldrons and reorganizing potion ingredients after seventh year review sessions.** Being able to take down one of the cruelest blood purists in the school was worth every scratch and raw fingertip, especially after what happened with his cousin. When Severus confronted him in an empty hallway and explained what had been going on in the common room below the lake, there wasn't a single rule he wouldn't have broken to get back at the bastard.

"I still can't believe we pulled it off! That's some tricky spells we did, even with two of us! Of course it wore off after a minute but by then the whole hall was laughing at him. He'll never live it down, I heard one of his friends asked him if he had a thing for family members." Peter was practically bursting at the seams over the exhilaration, even though the howler he had received sent him to Madame Pomfrey for a few hours.

As he rolled his eyes with the most drama he could muster, James flung himself back against the wall like a shakespearean Juliet wannabe. "Oh, how I wish our young love was not forsaken by the fearsist of witches, besmirched by the stupidest of cowards."

"Shut your mouth you git, you're going to get us in trouble. Again." Remus shoved his shoulder lightly and slung an arm over Peter's head, mimicking the way James was on the wall. "I'm a pureblood and woe is me that I can't get away with everything anymore…"

"Come off it, James is just mad that Lily was the one to catch his broom." The three boys laughed while James turned a dark color. "You'll get her someday mate, girls just aren't interested in people who talk through their arse." Peter looked extremely proud of himself even as he dodged the hex thrown his way. "Sh…" Before any of them could protest, Sirius caught the whispers floating down from the other part of the hallway. They shoved each other into a broom closet quickly, shutting the door just enough that it wouldn't lock but it wasn't obvious it was open.

"You are going crazy over this, we've been at this for months and nothing has changed. He's never going to notice." The voice sounded tired as footsteps moved dangerously close to where they were, an oomph being released as whoever she was leaned on the wall. "What next?"

"I don't even know if I want him to notice, I mean he's our friend and I don't know if that would all fall apart." That was definitely Lily. James had slipped her something to give her a cold and any other magical being would have made it go away with magic or a potion. But no, she was too stubborn for that.

That night in the boys dorm was hell for poor Frank and all four of them knew it. "It has to be one of us right, she only _just_ started trusting Severus again and the friend was a guy so unless it's you," Peter glanced at Frank who was barely even listening, "it has to be one of us. I don't know her that well so not me."

"It has to be one of us two because she _hates_ James. She knows Alice has dibs on Frankie so there's no way she would push that." Sirius ducked as a pillow started to attack him, their other roommate not even looking up from his Transfigurations book. "You know it's true! You two are in love and will marry! I bet the betrothal is finalized by the end of third year!" He finally got caught and was suddenly on the floor with his face covered. "Ooo ew mmm ggggggrrrrr!"

"If you four don't go to bed instead of gossiping like first years about who Lily has a crush on, you will _all_ meet his fate." The lights turned out early in the Gryffindor second year dorms.


	14. Trials and Tribulations

**He knew that he was going to get on the team, there was no question or anxiety in his mind that would ruin this for him.** James stood with his back straighter than a Black throne, his eyes were colder than the stone it was made of and burning determination flushed his skin more than the stinging wind in his hair. He hid his enjoyment over the giggling older year girls watching.

"Mr. Potter, your tryout will be separate from everyone else's as you are looking to be seeker. Dorcas from the Ravenclaw team will be following you and will report back to me, presenting her memories to be viewed. I take this sport seriously Mr. Potter. If you or any of your band ruin our prospects, you will not play another game. Is that understood? Groovy. Let's fly!" Throughout the course of tryouts, James could see just how hard the team worked. Each chaser knew the others better than they knew the game, not even looking sometimes to catch the Quaffle so they wouldn't be knocked off their brooms. They were sixth years and had apparently been playing together since second year, friends for long before. The beaters were twins who looked like they played ice hockey for the fun of seeing teeth fly. They were rough, but at least they weren't cruel. There were only two positions open that year, seeker and keeper, which were extremely important. At least James thought so.

"If you keep looking at the game, you're going to miss the snitch. The faster you find the snitch, the higher the chance of your team winning by a great number of points. Snitches are also fickle things and like to hide themselves if they aren't found fast enough." Though she was right, James wanted to huff at the girl next to him to lay off.

"Who says I was focused on the…" _There_. He felt like was back at the Manor when he would go out every day to work on his skills, making obstacle courses and ignoring his mothers screams to stop scaring her with his silly tricks. The wind that broke away when it touches the tip of his broom, the flash of gold over a flat green, they were old friends. Older than the Chasers were, older than his own thoughts. James remembered the story of how his mother gave birth on the pitch because she didn't notice until it was too late. "Born to fly," his father said. "Born to get what he wants," his mother would roll her eyes back. His feet leveled out above the watching heads as his fingers closed around the small object, grinning with arrogant pride that he felt was well deserved. "Was that fast enough?"

"He won't work well with the team, he thinks the world of himself and he doesn't listen until he's already screwed up! Do you really want someone like that on your team?" _What does she know?_ "I know that the twins like him and you see something I don't, it's your team but Quinn…"

The Captain was leaning against the lockers with an eyebrows raised, still in the Gryffindor uniform long after the pitch had emptied. If he knew that there were curious eyes staring at him from atop those very lockers, he didn't give anything away. "James Potter is a second year who is faster than any player I've flown with, or any I've seen at this school. He might be a right out arse, but that doesn't mean he can't play and he wouldn't get that bludged out of him soon enough. I know my team, Dorcas. I appreciate that big brain of yours that somehow knows everything about the game, more than even Hooch, but sometimes I gotta disagree."

Droopy eyes pinched themselves together for a second. "I swear to my gods and yours, I will crush you without mercy the second Hooch blows that whistle. You might have a star seeker, but you'll just be 150 points losers instead of 0."

"You wouldn't, even you aren't that good." No matter how much lean muscle he wore or how strong his jawline, Quinn crumpled like paper under the look this tiny girl was giving him. "Come on, sis. You can't be serious."

"Watch me." She spun around on her heels, almost storming out of the room. She hesitated when she reached the door, not looking back for even a second. "Actually, you're too blind to do even that. Just don't break your neck, dear brother, when I knock you off your high broom."

 **Her house was smart enough to have tryouts on a day when it wasn't going to make players lose a finger before they even started a game.** But the one thing that they were struggling with was where to place the kids trying out for the team. They had lost one beater who graduated, another of their chasers disappeared and was later seen behind a white mask, the keeper was in the Hospital wing healing from a head injury and the seeker had quit when the Captain opened up the roster to anyone instead of just purebloods. "Who here has played before?"

Six hands raised which seemed to make the fifth year relax slightly. "If you haven't played before, go over to the right side of the pitch so I can see what you can do. Don't be surprised if you're cut, the pitch opens up for recreational use on Saturdays we don't play. You can practice and try out next year. The rest of you will be working with Marcus, make sure you don't get killed."

There was nervous laughter pettered throughout and one of the people who hadn't played before turned right around and walked off the pitch. "If you can't take it, don't play. Alright losers, who knows what position they are trying out for?" No one answered, just staring at him with raised eyebrows. "Good. You just play and we tell you where you're best at. Now get on your brooms, it's time to fly."

They went through drills for the first part, checking formations and seeing how the newbies worked together. "Catch, kiddo." The fourth year trying out wiggled his eyebrows, laughing as she dodged his bludger. "You need to be on your broom to play!"

"You need a team to win!" She growled back, sudden movement out of the corner of her eye catching her attention. She dove without thinking, weaving blindly through the first time flyers. If Venus wanted to be a dramatic show off in front of the Slytherin Captain, she sure achieved it as she was inches away from his nose with the snitch in her hand. "Sorry for the interruption, I thought the newbies would like to see talent."

"She's on the team, babe!" Marcus shouted across the green, waving at his boyfriend excitedly. "Anyone who can pull off that catch _and_ shut Haven up is chill." Venus turned a dark color as she backed away slowly, not sure what to do.

"You're buggin' if you think I'll just let her on the team like that! She's got to play us first. I already know who I want, you just tell me who you're thinkin' about keepin'." Everyone landed, confused about what was happening but eager to be the best at what was going to happen. "If you hear your name called, you are being considered for one of our four spots on the team. If you don't, thanks for coming out and we'll see you next year."

Marcus cleared his throat as he flexed his arms in the crossed position. "Venus Williams. Ryder Corpus. Haven Broker. Jordan Walker. Gavin Walker. Leo Masson. Gabrielle Avery. If your name was called, you'll find out if you're on the team by dinner."

"Watch your head!" She hated to admit it, but through all of his bogus arrogance Haven was a strong player. He had already protected Jordan from at least two bludgers sent by Marcus, Jordan being one of the best Chasers she had ever seen. The way that girl moved. "Move it Williams or your pretty girlfriend isn't going to be so pretty anymore."

"Watch your mouth or you won't have teeth anymore." Venus had come to recognize the jab as friendly teasing instead of cruel intentions. She focused on the action again. She's been placed as a beater to see if she could take over if one of theirs was injured. "How is it possible that there is only two of you and you're still winning?"

"Years of working together, young grasshopper." Madison saluted her as he flew by with the quaffle, giving an impressed whistle as Gavin kicked his shot away with ease and straight into Jordan's waiting hands. "You sure you never played before?"

"I played football, I was keeper for that sport too. This one is just done on a broom." He shrugged easily, kicking his feet while he waited to be useful again. "There's just no grass to pull up when I'm bored now."

Venus almost fell off her broom from laughing.


	15. Healers and Quiet Corners

**Being a Gryffindor was harder than it looked, but that didn't mean that she didn't have her moments of accidental bravery.** Sirius had finished his detentions for the prank he pulled on Lucius and James was off doing god knows what, so she was very happily enjoying lunch with her friends when it happened.

"My love, you need to stop eating those sweets. What will happen to the muscles I love so much?" Remus swatted away Sirius' sneaky hands trying to steal away his chocolates, growling lowly in his throat as he curled protectively over them. "Back off, mine." He shoved another sweet between his teeth just to make a point, followed quickly by a piece of bacon off the offender's plate. He just grinned into his food as his best friend squaked indignantly and looked around dumbfounded for help.

"He's a growing boy, mate, you've just gotta let him eat his fill." Peter shrugged before diving in for a piece of his own, narrowly avoiding getting his fingers sliced off by the knife that appeared in Sirius' hands.

Quick to defuse a tense situation, Lily grabbed his hand and twisted until the knife fell, grabbing a few slices of toast and the rest of her bacon before dragging her friend out of the Great Hall. They didn't speak until she sat down in a soft spot of grass by the lake. "Sit, eat and then we're going to talk." She hoped her voice left no room for argument but it looked like Sirius was suddenly too exhausted to fight back anyway. She watched him wolf down everything she handed him until she was wiping the grease off her hands into the grass beneath them. "I know that food being stolen before meant you weren't going to eat. I hope you learn that that isn't the way that is here."

They sat in comfortable silence, neither knowing what they had left behind at a stunned table. They just saw friends helping each other, the rest of the watchful eyes watched a muggleborn stand up to a knife welding Black and drag him out like a scolded child.

Lily Evans was confused but happy to help...until it got to be a little too much. She kept getting asked questions from people about how to calm down their friends like she was some brain healer or an expert on the topic. "Lily, Dua won't stop shaking, what do I do?" _Shaking usually means dehydration, at the very least focusing on that should calm her down_. She repeated the words her mother spoke all that time ago when Petunia almost passed out on the way home from school. "Lily, Peter is shut up in his room and I can't get him to come down." "Lily, how do I get my friend to eat?" "Lily…" "Lily…" "Lily…."

She shut herself up in her dorm room, asking quietly to make sure no one but her roommates were allowed up unless it was someone looking to comfort her. She was surprised when Sirius pushed open her door after knocking, looking around in wonder at her room. "No wonder we're not usually allowed up here, you girls have much nicer rooms!" Lily didn't have the energy to ask him how he got past the stairs, simply curling deeper into her blankets to try and avoid the world for a few more minutes. "Come on Lily Pad, you look like you could use a hug."

"Lily Pad? For that I should shove you out the window." She was smiling through so she let him sit on the end of her bed. "Second year is so hard, everyone expects you to be able to handle everything now! And I would but everyone keeps asking me questions and I don't know why."

Her friend blushed straight to the tips of his ears, ducking his head. "That might be my fault." When she was too stunned to curse him for whatever prank he must have pulled, Sirius continued. "When you helped me last week with the whole, almost killing Peter over a scrap of food thing...No one can usually calm down a Black when we get aggressive. It's like an instinct to _hurt_ that hibernates until we can't force it to sleep anymore. Narcissa keeps a good face so people leave her alone, Bella's is just constantly awake and that's why she's the way she is and me...I don't know, no one has ever seen it before."

"Because you aren't like the rest of them. You have real friends that love you." She punched his shoulder, laughing as he pretended to have a broken arm, rolling off her bed. "Get out of my room before someone _really_ hurts you."

"I don't see how anyone could hurt me more than you." Sirius winked as he disappeared and Lily truthfully believed that if she stayed friends with that boy, her eyes would roll out of her head.

True to her beliefs, Lily ended up in the hospital wing curled up in a corner bed drawing out her headache on a scrap piece of parchment. The hustle and bustle of the room was calming, the routine tinging when Madame Pomfrey would pick up a potion or the scraping of the plastic rings on the curtain rods. "You seem to be at home here more than your friend Mr. Lupin. Is there anything that I should know about?"

"No, Madame. I just needed a quiet place to focus." They shared an unspoken agreement on how no matter how many people were in the hospital wing, it was so much better than anything they could do in the outside world.


	16. Wolf Packs and Jack Rabbits

**He didn't mean to be spying, but it was creeping closer to when he would be transforming and his instincts screamed to be close to those he cared about.** Without meaning to, he tracked down the girls and was about to call out for them when he took in their body language. They looked tense, cats ready to pounce on waiting prey. They looked around before moving around the corridor into the dark.

"We need to figure out how to say this right. If he gets spooked, he will run and I can't lose him because he thinks he's a terrible person. I mean, it's not like we can walk up to the group, separate them and blurt it out."

"You sound like we're trying to admit crushes, Alice. Frank isn't in that group…" There was a flash as a jinx flew by and the sound of screeching as the girls fought to keep Alice under control. "Don't dish out what you can't take. Have fun with no hair for a while, it'll match my tail!" Oh good lord Alice and Venus in a fight. Was it awful that he wished he could see better? Both of them were very powerful and had long time knowledge of the wizarding world to perfect their attacks.

There was a sharp _smack!_ that resounded in the quiet space but it was the silence that followed that drew in his attention. "Did you just hit me?" Both girls squacked, bursting into giggles for some reason.

"Will you stop fighting now? This is a serious situation and if you make one comment about that idiot, 'Dite...Anyway, how are we going to confront Remus? This isn't the type of thing that you just blurt out." Dread crept into his stomach, anxiety curling hot iron into every nook and cranny underneath his skin. "'Oh hey, you know how you get really sick at times? Well we thought you were getting your period but now we think you're a werewolf."

"Fuck." Remus hated swearing at the best of times but when that word slipped through his lips, he knew he was caught. He didn't even have time to breath, even if he was able to, he just turned tail and ran. _I'm getting expelled, I'm getting arrested, I'm a dead dog dead dog dead dog._ This close to the full moon, his legs seemed unnaturally long as they brought him away from the castle quicker than any human. He didn't even hit the notch on the tree, just dove into the hole and let his senses take him to the only place he felt safe. If everyone else was safe, he was safe. Even if it was just until morning.

 **Sneaking out of Hogwarts was much easier than she thought it would have been, her feet barely even grazing the ground as she walked over to the Willow.** "Hello, might you let us pass? _Immobulus_ ," was whispered as she made a mountain shape with her wand, humming as she trekked to the hidden passageway. "Aren't you coming?"

The girls behind her were tentative at best, uneased by the glassy look in their friend's eyes. Venus finally broke away from the group and followed her sister with undoubted trust. "We're right behind you, just wanted to make sure it was safe."

A small ball of feathers flew past them, landing on Aphrodite's shoulder without even making a sound. "Hello Pip, can you fly ahead so we don't surprise him? Thank you, lovely." Light curls caught on hanging roots, but only succeeded in making her hands rise to stop the incessant tugging. "Do you hear it? Can you guess where we're going?" Even without the Ravenclaw pointing it out, the sound of creaking wood and the whispered echoes of screams was all to familiar. Even to those who had never been to Hogsmeade before. "It's where he transforms, it's a rather painful process because his wolf and human sides are constantly fighting each other for control and the full moon makes it impossible for him to win."

"'Dite, how do you know so much about this?" The question went unanswered as they finally arrived at the shack, eyes tracking every shadow as they all imagined them to be boggarts or other creatures waiting for the chance to attack. They each paired off, sisters finding comfort in the warmth of the familiar.

When they found him, he was sitting hunched in the middle of a bedroom. The bed itself was standing, but the posts were scratched to sharpen claws and the mattress torn apart to make it more comfortable. The window was covered with grime that just happened to protect him from anyone daring to try and sneak a peek. "How did you find out?" If he had wolf ears, they would be dropped. "I was so careful to get away from everyone, I made sure to cover my tracks. And now...are they going to let me say goodbye or do I have to leave right away?"

"Remus, what on earth are you talking about? Why are you sulking here like some kicked pup?" Alice's hands were on her hips and a sister's annoyance on her face. "You didn't fail to hide anything, you just have friends that care about you and wanted to help. I'm sorry that you think you're so special that one secret is going to make us hate you but it's not."

"We haven't told anyone, we were more worried about how you were doing and we didn't want to get you in trouble." Small hands grabbed his face, forcing him to look into piercing green eyes. "We are your friends. We protect, we love and we _never_ betray each other. How long is it going to take for you to realize that?"

He promptly burst into tears, curling up into his best friend's chest as all of his fear washed down his cheeks. No more words needed to be said as one after the other they found their way into the hug. Aphrodite had to bite her tongue from making a joke about dog piles, simply curling herself tighter around his side. If her arm was numb from being pressed between two stomachs, she couldn't complain.

 **It had been a week since the reveal of his true nature and he had come to accept that the girls were still his friends.** In fact, with no secrets between them, the group was closer than ever. "Moony! My mum sent me chocolates because a new shop opened down the way, you've got to try these!" Lily beamed at him from across the table.

Alice beat him to it, snatching up a milk one and throwing it up so she could catch it with her mouth. "Mmm...Remind me to hug your mother next time I see her, that way she sends _me_ sweets instead of you."

"Come off it, you know I was just offering them to Remus!" The friendly teasing made him smile as he snuck one of the sweets, warmth flooding his chest like he was back in their pile. "I'm way too exhausted to deal with anything right now, someone hold me." Lily fell back into his lap, curling up and pretending to snore. She burst out laughing when he shoved her off, all while he was complaining about how only the biggest weirdo's drool and snore at the same time. The girls might not have been his roommates but they were a completely different category altogether. _**Pack**_ , was the first though he had ever shared with his inner wolf and it felt like a small part of him healed.


	17. Giving and Receiving Chances

**Peter might not have been the strongest or the bravest of the group, but he was the most quiet and that got him secrets.** People never paid attention to the shadows. Except maybe Remus, who seemed to be as well acquainted with the shadows as Peter himself but in a completely different way. Instead of using them, it seemed as if Remus was being sucked in slowly by some unseen force that created the bag's under Remus' eyes and the scars on his body.

"Stop staring, one of the Slytherin's will start a rumor that you fancy blokes if they notice," James hissed in his ear. Though Peter thought there was no shame in it, contrary to the majority, he stopped observing Remus as he snored atop his toast.

"He's always been weird, running off once a month to do something or other and he's got all those scars. Do you think he's sick? Maybe he has to get surgery to remove tumors or potions or something which would explain why…" Peter stopped himself from babbling too much right as Lily plopped herself down next to their sleeping friend. "You don't look worried this time, why is that?" Peter knew he was going to get kicked for it, but he knew Lily tended to worry about as much if not more about Remus than he did.

Lily rolled her eyes, but the kick never came. "Because I was the one up all night with him getting caught up on notes and assignments, neither of us will have any work to do for the rest of the week so we can focus on other...projects." Her smile was far too devious to warn them off, as both Sirius and James perked up.

The other two boys pestered her about what Lily Evans, the _golden girl_ of Gryffindor, could possibly be up to with the fourth member of their group until they had to run to class. "We'll find out you know," Sirius warned as she stuck her tongue out at him, separating only when they had to take their seats.

Peter wasn't as interested in the side project as he was in how Lily explained away Remus' absence that night. He could have sworn there was no one in the common room much past eleven when he had finished with his charms work. So unless the two of them were in the library, which wasn't likely, or had been in the girls dorm, impossible as he was positive the other girls would kill them, he was sure Lily was lying. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't have cared but it was _Lily._ She didn't lie unless she was protecting someone, so the question was, whose secret was she protecting? And how did Peter not already know it?

Research was the most important part of discovery, because usually when you knew at least half of what you were talking about the suspect would fill in the blanks. The others would just shut up until they knew how much you had uncovered. If it was enough, they started to defend themselves or make threats. Either way it was important to have evidence.

This was why Peter found himself in the library during his free time looking through a book on magical ailments which might explain what was happening to Remus. All of his information on Remus was listed on one half of a small piece of parchment with the other covering his ideas. So far, he only had that Remus was born with different genitalia and he was _not_ going to think about that longer than he had to. It did cover all of the bases; changes in behavior towards a certain part of the month, food cravings, exhaustion...but the scars didn't make sense though unless he was hurting himself on purpose. Even then, they were too jagged and oddly placed. "Ugh…"

"You should really stop looking into things that are none of your business," someone sneered. Peter looked up to find Severus glaring at him for no reason. The Slytherin continued without pause,"you might think that you're protecting someone and all you're going to do is hurt them. How _awful_ for everyone involved."

"Shut your…" He tried to say something back, but Severus was already walking away from him and out of the library. "Weird," Peter mused as he went back to looking through his books. By chance, or perhaps because someone in the heavens was looking out for him, but the next page he turned to covered everything he was looking into. And suddenly Peter knew were those scars came from, feeling stupid that he had so quickly ruled out self harm. Normally he refused to talk to Madam Pince, but he had to show his friends and they wouldn't believe him unless he showed them the book.

Luckily, she must have been in a good mood and only lectured him twice on its proper care, and he made it just in time to crash into the dorm room when Remus was gone. Sirius looked at him weirdly. "What are so excited about?"

"I know why Remus has been acting so weird," Peter informed them and seeing their eye rolls, added, "and I think I know what project Lily is working on." _That_ got their attention. "It's all connected, Lily has been helping Remus cover it up this whole time. They were never studying, she was covering for him so we wouldn't suspect anything! I can't believe he told her before us, but I think she might have figured it out like I did which would explain why the girls were acting weird…"

James smacked him upside the head, startling him out of his ramblings. "What are you going on about, and why do you have a book from the library?" He was staring curiously, obviously intrigued but not enough to be patient. Or too much. Either way, he was now glaring at Peter.

"Remus has been getting sick around the same time every month and we could never figure out why. He's covered in scars that he refuses to talk about even though we don't judge him for it. He eats _everything_ in sight around the same time he gets sick and his mood gets all weird. It all points to the same thing!" Peter exclaimed, handing them the book flipped to the page he wanted to show them. "He's a werewolf."

Anger was not what he expected, but both Sirius and James looked completely mad. "How could you say that about him? You're supposed to be one of our friends, one of _his_ ," Sirius growled before storming out the door with James close behind, too angry to add anything else.

Peter couldn't understand why they reacted the way they did, this changed nothing about the way he viewed Remus, except that he was even more worried than before. He didn't know how to feel; anger at his friends reacting strangely and confusion about it too. He knew that werewolves were viewed as dark creatures who ate babies and stole children, but maybe Remus was saved and that's why he was a werewolf. He couldn't imagine _Remus_ hurting anyone unless they were evil. Or were a bully and if they stayed that way would become evil.

When everyone was in the dorm that night, he decided he couldn't just sit there without it all coming out. "Remus, are you a werewolf?" James looked ready to hit Peter, but Remus had frozen in place and paled considerably.

"Who told you? The girls weren't supposed to tell, they promised they wouldn't tell…" Remus was hyperventilating and his fingers had curled into fists, like he was going to need to protect himself. He backed towards the door slowly, getting ready to run away.

Peter rolled his eyes. "No one told me, mate. I figured it out like they did, I'm guessing. James and Sirius didn't believe me, so I wanted to ask you to be sure. It's not like it changes much, only now you don't have to lie when you're sick."

While Remus relaxed slightly, the other two looked like they were going to burst. "HOW are you so _calm_ right now, he's going to kill us in our sleep or something when we're older. We have to tell Dumbledore, or the ministry!" James was white as a sheet and holding his wand out defensively, absolutely terrified, and Sirius wasn't much better.

"What are you going on about, you tosser?" He snapped. "Remus has lived with us for over a year already and you two gits haven't figured out that he's not a monster? You know he's got wizard parents that raised him, he wouldn't have a wolf pack to make him blood thirsty! Dumbledore also isn't so stupid as to not know that he's here, the school wards would have noticed!" Peter found himself between Remus and the others, his anger making him brave. He might not be the biggest, but he was _right_ and that was what mattered. "If Dumbledore says he can be here, he can be here. And if he's been our friend this whole time and a werewolf too, why in the bloody hell are you so upset that he's one now?!"  
Peter was sure he was going to be hexed. But it seemed like everyone else in the room was too stunned to do much else but stare, most likely surprised that their tag-along had dared raise his voice against them. Peter wasn't just there, he was a part of the group and they would listen. They had too.


	18. Colliding Heads and Hearts

**James was struggling with how to handle all of the bull thrown his way.** Obviously he wasn't allowing it to show on his face, he was a Potter and Potters were always the perfect purebloods. But inside he was a mess. The revelation that Remus was a werewolf had torn a gap in his friendships with said werewolf and Peter, who for some reason was angry with them for thinking any differently of him. James had been raised to understand that werewolves were dark creatures who stole babies away in the night to raise them as their own, then as a final initiation into the pack, sent said children to kill their birth families.

How was he supposed to feel about one of his _best_ _mates_ having hid something like this from them? "I can literally see you thinking right now and if you don't stop, I will knock you off your broom…" his captain growled out before disappearing to go sit with his own friends.

Sirius was watching him with a raised eyebrow. They'd been living together since the summer and had only gotten closer, officially brothers instead of just friends. "I'm going to tell you right now that you'll figure it out after the game. Being on a broom always seems to fix everything for you because you're an annoying wanker." He just opened his mouth when James threw a sausage at him, chewing loudly.

"You're an arse," James huffed but he was starting to feel a little less off balance. He finally settled when he was on his broom, with M.G still glaring at him while she swung her beaters club absentmindedly. She was terrifying to say the least, but it was even worse when they were playing against Slytherin because she carried her aunt's grudge. Her twin brother wasn't much better, but he was more in it for the fun instead of revenge.

Venus just happened to be on the other team and equally as terrifying. It was the first time they would be facing off as seekers and he was ready to destroy her. "Your glasses won't do much if that mullet of yours keeps getting in your eyes, you really should think about putting it in a bun."

Her comment distracted him from the whistle blowing and she was off before he could make a retort back. James rolled his eyes at her childish move, but turned his attention to the game. He made sure to stay out of his teammates way, knowing he didn't have enough time under his belt to work with them. The game was actually going pretty well, the Slytherins were keeping their fouls to the same count as the Gryfindors and they were evenly matched as far as he could see. An easy win wasn't a fun one, so he didn't mind.

In fact, James was enjoying just sitting lazily on his broom watching the action unfold until a flash of gold caught his eye. The Snitch. He might not have wanted this position to start with, but he was damn well going to prove himself while he had to deal with it.

Venus apparently had the same idea as she quickly met up with him as they dove for it, weaving around other players and selfishly ignoring their surroundings. "You're a bloody git, Potter, and I don't let gits win." The wind made it hard to hear, but James got the gist of it. This time though, he was too focused to reply. He needed to get that snitch. His silence must have turned her off as she shut her mouth after that.

 _There_ , he thought as he caught sight of the snitch trying to dodge around one of the goals. He sped up just enough to reach out, but Venus was right alongside him. They each went for it at the same time, completely unaware of the bludger heading straight for them.

When James woke up, he was confused as to why he couldn't remember falling asleep in the first place. There was blood seeping through a bandage on his arm, but otherwise he wasn't too badly damaged. "Gnarly…" He tried to sit up, but apparently his body had other ideas. And so did Madame Pompfrey.

"You are _not_ getting up, young man. You and Mrs. Williams had quite the collision, in fact it wasn't just the two of you!" He had never seen her so flustered. "You somehow managed to work in a bludger, and TWO of the goal hoops!"

"Wicked," Venus piped in, grinning like a mad woman. She was supporting a black eye, a cast on her left hand and a shit eating grin. Apparently the bludger had caught her hand right between the hoop and itself, her head slammed into the metal, she knocked into James who fell off his broom and broke his arm. His bones were mended, but the broken skin from where the bone had gone through was still mending hence the bandage. She happily informed James of this while he glared at her. "And somehow, I _still_ caught the snitch. We lost by ten points though because they deducted some points for something or other."

Madame Pomfrey screeched in horror. "SOMETHING OR OTHER? You two _destroyed_ that hoop, took down Madame Hooch when she came over to help, swore your heads off until Dumbledore had to take points, and then _still_ managed to land a punch on each other when I finally got you in here. You two are such _marauders_!"

His timing was awful, but somewhere in the back of James' head he made a note of that to mention it to the guys. It was a good name for their friend group, werewolf included.

 **Sirius couldn't understand how his brother could be such an arse, scaring him like that and taking down a pretty girl with him.** Even with a giant bruise turning her face black, she was distracting and he absolutely hated it. Of course most of his feelings were because she was the one girl in the entire school who wasn't swayed by his charm or his name, in fact she loved to inform him that he was an outright git most of the time.

Like now. "Sirius Black if you do not shut your large shit hole, I will personally sew it shut!" She was paler than usual, her dark skin turning an odd color under the lights and her eyes dimmed from their normal intensity. She was miserable and irritated after only a day stuck in a room with James.

Madame Pomfrey had put a silencing charm around their area, so both of them had taken the opportunity to speak freely. "How about you shut yours and leave Sirius alone? He's not here to visit _you_ ," James snarled before seeing Sirius blush. "Oh come on, mate." Luckily Venus didn't seem to notice as she had passed out, but James was still awake. "Why her? She hates you."

"That just makes it more fun! Plus its not like I want to marry her, my parents are still selling me to the Carrows, and we're twelve genius. Flirting with her is just practice for when I _actually_ want to date a girl."

"What, you want to date a bloke?" James was still laughing when Sirius tried to smother him with a pillow.


End file.
